Frigid
by Fuck if I know
Summary: Kuroko Tetsuya is a smart, capable young man. But how does he cope with raising his three younger siblings while only being seventeen himself? (AoKise at some point, AkaKuro later of course)
1. Chapter 1

Kuroko rushed around the house in a frantic mess, throwing clothes into the drier, pouring three glasses of milk, and desperately trying to find his missing right shoe. "Kenchi! Where's my shoe?"

"How should I know?!" was the response he received from the upstairs bathroom.

Kuroko groaned and continued his search as a seven year old girl sleepily slumped down the stairs. "Ah, Nina, can you make sure Shiiro remembers his homework?"

Nina yawned and nodded, downing a glass of milk. "Yeah, you're going to be late, Tetsuya. Go on, I've got this."

Kuroko smiled at his youngest sibling, hugging her tight. "Alright, but um, where's my shoe?"

Nina rolled her eyes and pointed to the ceiling fan, where the missing shoe dangled from its laces. Kuroko sighed, "Thanks. I'll see you tonight!" And with that, he ran outside, hoping to make it to school before he was late once again.

XXXXX

When the bluenette arrived, he was met at the classroom door by his teacher. The disgruntled man held out a piece of paper, and Kuroko took it with a sigh, not even having to look at it to know what it was. He would be staying after school again.

He quickly made his way to his seat and plopped down, ignoring the drones of his teacher's lecture. Kuroko closed his eyes, still tired from having helped his brother with his homework all night. Just as he was about to doze off, he felt the weight of eyes on him, and he turned to find Akashi Seijuro seemingly staring into his soul. And since neither of them were interested in common courtesies, a staring contest ensued. Even as the impatient instructor called Akashi out, asking him some random question that was, in fact, no part of the current lecture, they never looked away from one another. The redhead calmly answered with ease, earning a glare of sorts from Kuroko.

It really pissed him off, the way Akashi looked at him. He knew the look of disgust well, but Akashi's was on an entirely different level. It was a look of absolute hatred, and it confused Kuroko more than anything. Akashi didn't know anything about him. What gave him the right to look at him like that? To look down on him? To loathe him so entirely?

"Mr. Kuroko, I assume you have a reason for spacing out in my class? Yet _again_."

Kuroko sighed as he turned his gaze to his irritated teacher. "Yeah, I do actually. But I know that the distracting redhead glaring into my soul over there is of no importance to you, and I should just get over myself, right?"

The man's frown deepened as he loomed over Kuroko, but the bluenette showed no sign of retracting his words.

"Kuroko. I don't care if Mr. Akashi's staring bothers you in the slightest. At least he can still listen effectively and answer any question I throw at him. At least he's-"

"The perfect student, yeah, I know."

The man sighed. "Be sure to stay after class. I don't want you running off again."

XXXXX

As the school day ended, Kuroko begrudgingly made his way to the teacher's lounge where he was met with his still rather annoyed teacher. And who happened to be with him at that moment? Akashi Seijuro. Kuroko held back a groan as he caught the attention of both males.

"I'm here, but I have to get home soon," he said quietly, noting the redhead's familiar glare.

The instructor sighed but chose to ignore the large amount of tension radiating between the two students. "Kuroko, I would like to discuss your tardiness-"

"Sorry about that, sir, but I have a reason."

"You always do…"

Kuroko sighed and ran a hand through his unkempt hair. "Look, I don't expect you to understand, but I have three kids at home to take care of, and I really need to get going. Can we discuss this later?"

The man sighed in consideration, but before he could answer, Kuroko was gone, running down the street toward his home. If he ran fast enough, he could make it in time to make a fire, so the kids wouldn't have to freeze any longer than they needed to in this cold, bitter season of winter.

XXXXX

In the end, Kuroko had barely made it in time, and the house was just getting warm as his siblings ran inside, dumping their bags and coats at the door.

"Tetsuya~ You made a fire~" Nina sang as she grabbed a soda from the refrigerator. Shiiro slipped the bluenette a slip of paper as he made a beeline for his room upstairs. Kuroko looked down to find his graded homework assignment from the night before. At least someone was passing his classes. Kenchi grumbled under his breath as he sat by the fire, warming his hands as the flames danced dangerously close to his skin.

"Kenchi, don't get too close."

The teenager rolled his eyes. "I'm not an idiot, Tetsuya."

Kuroko bit back his concern, but he couldn't help but smile at his small family. They weren't the typical family, but they were doing just fine. Even if Kuroko was failing all of his classes, running on an average of two hours of sleep a week, and currently unemployed. They would be just fine.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Kuroko awoke extra early, three hours before school started. He tried to be as quiet as he could as he crept down the stairs and made his way to the kitchen. He packed his siblings' lunches, made them breakfast, washed the dishes that had piled up in the last two weeks, and began getting all of their things together for school. When all of that was done, he ran back upstairs to his room, pulling a box out from under the bed. He opened it to reveal some amount of money that had simply been thrown in. Thumbing through the money, he pulled out just enough to get himself a drink for lunch and put the box away.

"Tetsuya?"

Kuroko almost jumped at the voice, not aware that anyone else was even awake yet. He turned to find Shiiro blinking at him slowly, obviously still half asleep. Kuroko smiled at him as he stood to his feet. "Shiiro, what are you doing up? There's still an hour and a half before you have to leave."

The teenager shrugged. "I just woke up. What are you doing?"

"Making sure we can all get to class on time and have everything we need for once."

Shiiro sighed, a frown crossing his lips. "Tetsuya… Are you doing alright?"

Kuroko blinked before laughing softly, ruffling his brother's hair. "Of course, don't be silly. Come on, let's get you back to bed. You need all the rest you can get."

Shiiro opened his mouth to object, or at the very least, insist that Kuroko needed more rest as well, but the bluenette was already pushing him down the hall, and he was too tired to resist.

Once Shiiro was back in his bed, Kuroko began getting ready for his own day. He got dressed, actually brushed his hair for once, and even finished a good bit of overdue homework before it was time to wake the others.

He sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror one last time before making his rounds to the bedrooms.

XXXXX

Even Kuroko was surprised to find that he'd actually made it to class a good ten minutes before it began, so one could imagine the look of utter amazement on his instructor's face.

"Mr. Kuroko, I'm glad you could make it in time."

Kuroko nodded to him as he sat in his seat, pulling out a stack of papers. "Sorry about yesterday, sir," he said as he held the papers out for the man, "but these are done."

The man arched a skeptical brow as he took the papers, flipping through to find that Kuroko had completed most of his past assignments. "Thank you, Kuroko. I hope you can finish the rest soon. I don't want to have to fail you."

Kuroko was about to apologize and thank the man for his consideration. If it wasn't for his kindness to agree to let him make up his work, he would've certainly failed by now. But the boy snapped his mouth shut as he caught a glimpse of a shock of red hair. He turned to find Akashi strolling in, taking his seat two rows over.

"You're letting him get away with it again, Sir?" the redhead calmly asked.

Kuroko turned a glare on him, icy blue eyes meeting firey crimson. "If you have something to say about me, Akashi, say it to my face."

The redhead shrugged, "You're a waste of space here."

Kuroko scoffed at the audacity of this boy. Who did he think he was? "Excuse me?"

"Yes, excuse you. Why are you even here, Kuroko? You don't listen, you don't do your work, and this is the first time you've been on time this entire year."

"Not that it's any of your damn business, but I actually do have a family to-"

"That's no excuse. You are not their guardian, do not blame them for your incompetence."

"I'm not blaming-"

"I'm done talking to you now." With that, Akashi turned in his seat and faced forward, refusing to meet Kuroko's dumbfounded gaze.

' _What the hell?'_ he thought as he shook himself from his stupor. _'No, It doesn't matter what Akashi thinks anyway. He doesn't know me.'_

XXXXX

After school, as Kuroko was heading out the door, his instructor swooped in and stopped him.

"Kuroko, may I offer you a suggestion?"

The bluenette blinked but nodded, only somewhat interested in what he had to say.

"I know your situation at home isn't ideal, and that you are required to be more of an adult than most students your age, but you do need to take time to be a kid while you still can."

Kuroko cocked his head. "And how can I possibly do that, sir?"

"Well, I was thinking you might wish to join the basketball club. They're running short this year, and I think you may enjoy the practices at the least."

"…I don't know. I really don't think I have enough time for that."

"Well, just, think about it. Okay?"

XXXXX

"Tetsuya?"

Kuroko was silent as he continued to stare into space, lying on the cold floor of his bedroom.

"Tetsuya."

He dazedly lifted his head to find Kenchi and Shiiro standing in the doorway, wearing confused and slightly concerned expressions. Kuroko quickly sat up, thinking something was wrong.

"What is it?"

Kenchi rolled his eyes whilst Shiiro answered, "Nothing, Tetsuya. We were just wondering what's on your mind."

Kuroko sighed as he leaned back onto the floor, his gaze returning to the ceiling. "Oh. It's nothing."

Kenchi scoffed, pushing his way into the room until he loomed over his brother. "Oi, spill it."

"… My teacher thinks I should join the basketball team."

"Do you want to?" Shiiro asked in his quiet voice.

Kuroko shrugged. "It's true that I miss it. I haven't played since Nina came along. But I don't have time for that anymore."

Kenchi knelt beside him, looking at him in silence for a long while before thumping his forehead.

"Oww," he muttered, touching the spot he'd thumped, "What was that for?"

"Idiot, we can take care of ourselves. We're fourteen and fifteen. We're practically adults."

Kuroko frowned and shook his head. "You're not adults. And I hope you won't have to be until you truly are."

"Like you?" Shiiro muttered.

Kuroko was silent for a moment. "Yes, like me. I don't want you two to be like me."

"Good," Kenchi said, "Because we're nothing like you. We're actually smart." Kuroko laughed softly as he continued, more solemnly now, "Join the team, Tetsuya. We'll be fine. Shiiro can help Nina with her homework, and I can cook, and it'll be fine."

The bluenette was quiet as he looked between his brothers. How did they turn out so well? He was forever grateful for them, and the fine young men they were becoming. Smiling, he nodded slowly, still hesitant at the thought. "Alright, I'll try out tomorrow. But you guys have to promise that you won't burn the house down or get arrested while I'm away at practice."

"Deal," they said in unison, making Kuroko's smile widen.

"Alright, now that's enough of that. How about we go out tonight?"

Kenchi's brows furrowed. "We have enough for that?"

"I've been saving some money for a night like this. You know that place down the street with the really good soup?" He watched as the boys' eyes lit up with excitement. "Yeah, let's go there tonight."

"I'll get Nina!" Shiiro exclaimed, sprinting out of the room to find her as Kuroko pulled out his money box from under the bed.

"Tetsuya?"

"Hm?"

"… We'll come to every game."

Kuroko smiled as he stood up, noting Kenchi's slight blush. "Thanks, Kenchi."

Even though Kenchi wasn't able to say it, Kuroko heard what he meant. _'You deserve this, to have a life outside of the house. We'll support you in any way we can.'_ And that was another thing Kuroko would be eternally grateful for.


	3. Chapter 3

"Absolutely not."

Akashi glared openly at Kuroko, holding a basketball in one hand as he did so. As captain of the basketball team, he was rather enraged at the very thought of Kuroko being on his team. And the bluenette had just strutted in and demanded a tryout. Who did he think he was?

Meanwhile, Kuroko was thinking the same thing of him. Just because he was the captain, he was able to deny anyone that wished to join, simply because he didn't like him?

"I just need a shot, Akashi."

The redhead held his glare, passing the ball behind him. "I refuse. You can't even make it to class on time. And didn't you say you have a family to take care of?"

"Yes, but things are going to change soon."

Akashi raised a brow curiously but didn't ask any more questions. "Ryouta, Shintaro, Atsushi. You will be playing against Daiki, Taiga, and.. Kuroko."

"Ne, Akashi-cchi, you're not playing?"

"No, I will watch for today. Kuroko, if you win, you will be on the team."

Kuroko nodded and put his things away, pulling on his wristbands as he made his way onto the court.

"I don't have time to waste on a full game," Akashi announced, "so you get twenty minutes." With that, he threw the ball into the air, and the game began.

XXXXX

Sweat dripped down Kuroko's face, clumping his hair together as he doubled over, panting heavily. He looked around to find all the others doing the same, all trying to catch their breath. His eyes finally settled on Akashi, arms crossed, eyes calculating, not a single bead of sweat on his brow. It angered him for some reason.

The redhead stepped onto the court, gaining everyone's attention as they all seemed to hold their breath. He walked directly over to Kuroko, barely looming over him. His crimson gaze shifted to the scoreboard. 43 to 45. As he looked back to the bluenette, his expression was unreadable.

"You lost, Kuroko. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

Kuroko was quiet as he watched Akashi turn his back to him. The others watched in shocked silence. No one had ever come that close to beating them in such a short amount of time.

"Akashi!" The redhead turned to find Kagami seething before him. "You've got to be crazy not to let him join! In fact, you should be begging him!"

Akashi stepped closer to the much taller male, almost chest to chest as he glared up at him. "You will do well to remember your place, Taiga," he said calmly before putting his hand on the other man's shoulder, and forcefully pushing him to his knees.

Kagami fell with a thud, as Akashi knew all the most sensitive points of the body and just how to manipulate them. He looked up at the captain with anger and disgust in his eyes, but he didn't say another word.

The room was silent. Not a single breath could be heard. Kuroko clenched his fists at his side, gritting his teeth.

"Akashi," he said calmly, and the redhead turned his deadened gaze back to him. "I deserve to be on this team. You know that if we'd had forty more seconds, we could've won."

"But you didn't. You had exactly twenty minutes, and you blew it."

"I _deserve_ this!"

His voice resonated from the walls, echoing in everyone's ears. They all stared at Kuroko with wide eyes, gaping at his nerve to even defy Akashi. The redhead himself was gazing at him coolly, not a trace of emotion in his crimson eyes.

"… If you're late for a single practice, you're off the team."

A collective gasp was heard as Akashi turned and made his way out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Continue practice without me. I have errands to run."

"…What just happened?" Aomine muttered once the captain was well out of the room.

Kise blinked and walked over to Kuroko, smiling softly. "Welcome to the team, Kuroko-cchi~"

XXXXX

Kuroko sprinted into his house, a nervous wreck at the thought of the kids being home alone. He was relieved to find Nina doing her homework at the table, as Shiiro washed the dishes from their recently finished meal, and Kenchi preparing a fire.

Nina beamed up at Kuroko as he came closer to inspect her work. "Tetsuya~ Did you make the team?"

Kuroko smiled as he kissed her hair softly. "I did. Are you going to come to my first game?"

The little girl squealed excitedly, turning to fling her small arms around her brother's body. "Of course~"

Shiiro cocked his head. "But isn't it unlikely you'll be playing in the first game?"

"You idiot!" Kenchi yelled, walking back into the room, "Regardless, we'll be there to support him. How would it look if his own family didn't show up for the one thing he does for himself?"

Kuroko blinked, shocked less by the statement itself rather than who it was coming from. He smiled softly at his brother, who now refused to meet his gaze. "Just remember our deal, alright?"

Both boys looked back at him then, nodding. "Right."

XXXXX

The next day, Kuroko sat alone at lunch, as he normally did. But something was different today. He felt eyes on him, and he lifted his own tired eyes to find the basketball team collectively watching him. He decided to ignore them, but as he looked away, Kise stood and made his way over to him.

"You know you can sit with us, Kuroko-cchi."

Kuroko looked at him blankly as he leaned against the table, a concerned look in his golden eyes. "I don't think your captain would like that."

Kise rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him. He's just a grumpy pants."

Kuroko smiled at how simplistic Kise seemed. He missed the days of simplicity. As that thought crossed his mind, another pushed through. "Shit, Nina's ballet recital is tomorrow…"

The blond blinked curiously. "Nina..?"

"Ah, sorry, Nina is my sister."

A large smile spread onto Kise's face, a squeal bubbling from his throat. "Oh how cute~ Kuroko-cchi has a little sister~ And she's in ballet?"

Kuroko nodded, suddenly feeling a bit uneased.

"Well, we don't have practice tomorrow, Kuroko-cchi. You can make the recital~"

The bluenette sighed in obvious relief. "That's good. I promised her…"

"That you'd be there?"

"That someone would."

Kise blinked, his bubbly personality dissipating for a moment. "What about your parents, Kuroko-cchi..?"

"… What parents?" he simply muttered.

XXXXX

"Daiki-cchi, it was so sad."

Aomine sighed as he pulled a soda from the vending machine, looking back to Kise. "I'm sure it's not that bad, Ryouta. Tetsu seems like an okay kid."

Kise frowned. "He is, but…"

"Alright, what did he tell you?"

"Not much… Just that, his parents aren't around anymore."

"Aren't around?" the tan man repeated, raising a brow confusedly.

"Yeah. I don't know if he meant they were just away, or in prison, or dead, or what."

"Wait, you think they might be dead?"

"…. You should've seen his face, Daiki-cchi. Or heard his voice. It was so bitter, but so sad…"

Aomine frowned, staring down at his unopened drink. "I'm sure everything's fine, Ryouta. You probably just misunderstood."

Kise sighed deeply as the bluenette wrapped an arm around him, kissing his temple. "You're probably right…"

"Of course I am. Now let's go home. I can't do the things I want to do to you in public."


	4. Chapter 4

Kuroko rushed through the doors of the concert hall, well aware that he was running late. If he didn't hurry, he would miss the beginning of Nina's recital. Maybe that didn't seem too bad, but for Kuroko, it would kill another part of him inside.

When he finally found a seat as close to the stage as he could get, he plopped down, unwrapping the scarf from around his neck. He pulled his phone out to find a message from Shiiro.

' _Sorry we couldn't make it. Make sure to record it for us.'_

Kuroko quickly typed out a reply just as the lights were dimming and the music began. He put his phone away and pulled out a camera, making sure to fulfill his brothers' wishes.

The dancers on the stage weren't as elegant as those that attend fancy academies and dedicate their entire lives to ballet, but Kuroko was entranced. Not only by his own little sister, who owned the stage just as she should, but by everyone. It was so refreshing to see young children doing what they wanted to do, regardless of the lives they lived at home or how well they were at it. It was a kind of beautiful that only people like Kuroko could see.

Kuroko grinned and waved at Nina as she caught sight of him, her smile widening. This was why he was here. This was why he would always give himself up for countless recitals that weren't his, homework that he had no business doing, meals he would hardly eat. It was all for those smiles that he'd receive. It was all for them.

XXXXX

"Tetsuya~"

Kuroko smiled as the little girl ran up to him, flinging her small body onto his. He wiped her white-blond hair out of her face, and his brows furrowed ever so slightly.

"Nina, where's your tooth?"

She giggled excitedly and reached into her bag to pull out a tiny pill box. "I lost it just before I went on~" she sang, handing it to her brother.

Kuroko took it gingerly, as if it was an absolute treasure, and peeked inside _. 'Your first tooth…'_ He smiled and tucked it away into her bag once more. "You know what this means, right?"

"Tooth fairy~!"

Kuroko chuckled and ruffled her hair, nodding. "Yes, the tooth fairy will surely visit you tonight."

XXXXX

When the two arrived home, they found Kenchi passed out on the couch and Shiiro lying on the counter. Kuroko's brows knitted together as he walked over to Shiiro.

"Um, why are you on the counter?"

"Just finished cleaning up after ourselves. Chemistry project should definitely get high marks."

"But… why are you on the counter?"

Shiiro rolled his eyes over to him, sighing tiredly. "I'm too lazy to walk up the stairs. And besides, the surface is soothingly cool on my skin."

Kuroko rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "Come on, get up. You can make it upstairs, I have faith in you."

Shiiro heaved a sigh as he pushed himself up, jumping off the counter and stumbling up the stairs. Kuroko watched his back to make sure he didn't fall in his half asleep state, then went to kneel beside Kenchi's side.

"Kenchi," he whispered, "it's time for bed."

"Mmmngh…"

Nina walked up behind them quietly. "Tetsuya? Maybe we should let him sleep for now…"

Kuroko glanced over to the wall to find a rather elaborate chemistry set up. It was clear they'd put a lot of time and effort into it. He sighed. "Alright. But if he complains about the crick in his neck in the morning, I'm blaming you."

Nina giggled and helped her brother to his feet, holding his hand as they made their way upstairs. "Deal~"

XXXXX

Kuroko was once again running as fast as he could, desperately hoping to make it to class on time. He foolishly thought things would magically calm down for him once he joined the basketball team. But with Shiiro and Kenchi spending hours on their project the night before, on top of cleaning up afterward, they were too exhausted to function on their own.

As he rushed into the classroom, he sighed heavily in relief. Two minutes to spare. He shuffled to his seat, falling into it in a heap of pants and groans.

"Kuroko." The bluenette flopped his head to the side, meeting Akashi's calculating gaze. "Cutting it a bit close. Don't you think?"

Kuroko simply stared at him for a long while before looking back to the front of the room. He was much too exhausted to argue with Akashi right now.

Kise bounced in soon after, pulling a confused look from both boys.

"Kuroko-cchi~ How was little Nina's recital~?"

Kuroko blinked and tried to smile, but it just came out as a softening gaze. "It went well. She was beautiful."

The blonde beamed down at him, nodding. "That's good~ Ah, maybe I could see her perform one day?"

"Maybe. But um, Kise?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you here?"

Kise laughed softly, pushing a strand of hair out of his eyes. "Well I had a minute before class, and I wanted to see how you were holding up."

Kuroko tilted his head in slight curiosity. "Holding up…?"

"Ah, well, what I mean is… You seemed kind of out of it yesterday, after we talked."

"Oh…" Then suddenly Kuroko remembered yesterday's conversation, and he sat up a little straighter, his gaze leveling with Kise's. "Oh, that. That was nothing, Kise. I'm fine."

The blonde looked him up and down for a moment, regarding him carefully. "Eh, if you say so. But if you ever need help with anything, or just want to talk, you can always come to me~"

Kuroko smiled softly, nodding his thanks, though he doubted he'd ever take him up on the offer. And then Akashi had to ruin his newly found light mood.

"Kise, please leave. Class is about to begin."

"Ah, Akashi-cchi's so mean~" he whined, but one threatening look from the redhead and he was out of there as fast as he could be.

"…Kuroko."

The bluenette held back a sigh as he turned to face Akashi once more. "Yes, Akashi?"

"…. Don't be late for practice."

He turned away then, refusing to even glance at Kuroko, and it confused him. What was he about to say? And why did the absolute Akashi change his mind about saying it?

XXXXX

"Alright, practice is over."

Kuroko panted heavily as he followed the others to the locker room to change. Even after everyone had left, he still sat on one of the benches, staring at the floor beneath his feet. So many thoughts raced through his mind, things he needed to get done, but he couldn't bring himself to move an inch.

"Kuroko."

The bluenette jumped at the sudden sound, not aware that he wasn't alone. He looked up to find Akashi staring down at him, but it was not the usual look he gave him. There was something different about this one, but Kuroko couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Shit, Akashi, you scared the hell out of me…"

"… Kuroko, the game next week. You're in it."

Kuroko's eyes widened as he stared up at him in silence. "R.. Really?"

"Don't make a big deal out of it. You're not awful, and the team's spirit seems to grow when you're on the court."

The room was silent, as Kuroko couldn't find the words to say. He'd never expected Akashi to put him into a game at all, not in a million years, and now he was playing in the first game since he joined?

"Aka-"

"Don't make a big deal, Kuroko."

They stared at one another for another long, painfully silent moment before Akashi slowly shuffled toward Kuroko, his usually confident steps suddenly sluggish and unsure. The redhead knelt before him, looking into his eyes as if he could see all of his being. But he couldn't, and that's what angered Kuroko, the fact that he always acted like he knew everything. He wondered if he actually believed that, but his thoughts were cut off as an unfamiliar hand squeezed at his inner thigh.

Kuroko's cheeks flushed and he jerked back, but Akashi held him firm. The redhead pushed Kuroko's legs apart, positioning himself between them as one hand reached up under the bluenette's shirt, sending waves of unease down Kuroko's spine.

"A-Akashi, what a-are you-"

"Shhh," he whispered, moving his other hand from Kuroko's thigh to the growing bulge between his legs. "Don't make a big deal out of it…"

XXXXX

Kuroko was continuously beating himself up as he walked home. It was the first time in years that he wasn't running back as fast as he could. He was so caught up in his mind, he could barely even see. Luckily, his feet knew the path well.

He couldn't believe Akashi had done that to him. Or that he'd let him. He never even once told him to stop. What the hell was he thinking?

He stopped on the corner of the street just long enough to send a kick to the wall. "The fuck is going on here?" he muttered to himself. It made no sense. Akashi hated him, and he hated Akashi. Was he just messing with him?

Kuroko sighed heavily, pushing his hair back from his face. Yeah. He was just messing with him. The conceited, overconfident prick.

' _Fuck him,_ ' he thought bitterly. He blinked. ' _On second thought, don't.'_


	5. Chapter 5

"Ryouta, get your shit together! Taiga, calm down! Kuroko, pay attention!"

Kuroko scoffed, wiping the sweat off his brow as Akashi yet again yelled commands from the sidelines. It was three days before his first game, but how was he supposed to focus when all he could think of was what had happened in the locker room just days before?

"Kuroko!"

He looked up just in time to see the ball flying toward him, and he barely ducked before it could collide with his face. Akashi huffed and strutted over to him, eyes dark and narrowed.

"Kuroko. Where the hell are you right now?"

"Honestly? The locker room."

Akashi was silent, crossing his arms. Everyone had stopped whatever they were doing to watch them, curious as to how things would transpire this time. The redhead's eyes shifted to their curious gazes. "I didn't tell you to stop."

Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose and ran over to get the ball, resuming practice as Akashi pulled Kuroko to the sidelines with him.

"You're still thinking about that, Kuroko?"

The bluenette laughed softly. "How can I not? What the hell was that anyway?"

Akashi blinked, his face void of emotion. "A blowjob."

Kuroko rolled his eyes, sighing. "I know that much. I mean, why?"

"… You seemed stressed."

Kuroko facepalmed, brushing his hair back as he absentmindedly watched the others play. "I'm even more stressed _now."_

"I can help with that."

He turned back to face Akashi, his expression incredulous. _"You're_ the reason I'm stressed! And why do you care anyway?"

"… We need you to be focused. Calm, collected. If you're going to play in the game, you need to have your sanity."

"And you think you're helping me with that?"

"Hm, not so much."

Kuroko's brows furrowed in utter confusion, as he stared at Akashi like he was crazy. Who knows? Maybe he was.

"You see, Kuroko, maybe I just wanted a favor in return."

The bluenette groaned, rolling his eyes. He should've known. "If you wanted something, you could've just asked!"

"Would you really have agreed to have sex with me before?"

He nearly choked on his own breath, his eyes widening. "W-What?"

"Well it's not like I like you or anything. In fact, I despise you. But unfortunately, I have quite a bit of sexual tension built up. And you seem to be my best bet."

' _And people say_ I'm _blunt.'_

He sighed heavily, trying to make sense of all of this. "Akashi, why am I on the team?"

"Because you're actually a rather good asset."

"To the team, or to you?"

Akashi's eyes suddenly narrowed dangerously, staring into Kuroko's entire being. "I would not risk this team for my own longings, Kuroko. You play well. That's why you're here."

XXXXX

Kuroko practically fell through his door, exhausted from the two miles they had run before practice was dismissed. Shiiro sat at the table, an arched brow in place as he watched Kuroko slump in.

"Long day, Tetsuya?"

"You could say that…"

"Would you like some tea?"

"Oh my shit, yes. Please."

Shiiro smiled softly at his brother as he stood and went to make the desired tea. Just then, they heard a knock at the door. Kenchi came down the stairs, a confused look on his face.

"Who the hell's at the door? Did someone follow you, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko's blood drained from his face, and he suddenly felt rather lightheaded at the thought. Kenchi gave up on receiving a response from him and went to open the door himself.

"Who are you?"

"Is Tetsuya here?"

And then Kuroko's blood was boiling, not quite in anger, but in absolute astonishment. He didn't feel himself move toward the door, didn't notice his feet moving of their own accord. He stared openmouthed at their uninvited guest, who simply smiled the most charming smile Kuroko had ever seen, as if nothing was wrong here.

"A-Akashi… Why are you here?"

"Well to be fair, you never answered me."

"Answered you…?"

"With my proposition."

"…. Oh."

Akashi raised a brow, awaiting Kuroko's actual answer, but the bluenette seemed to be frozen within his mind.

"Um," Kenchi said, noting the strange aura around his brother, "Tetsuya? Should I kick this guy out?"

"No…" He didn't know what he was saying. "Kenchi, Shiiro, go check on Nina." What was he even thinking?

"You sure?"

' _No.'_

"Yes." His mind was in a fog. He wasn't even completely sure any of this was real. It just felt like a dream.

"Tetsuya..?"

He blinked, partially coming back to reality to find that he and Akashi were standing alone in his own bedroom. How did he get here?

"Since when am I Tetsuya to you?" he whispered, but that wasn't the question he wanted to ask. He wasn't even sure what he wanted to ask.

Akashi shrugged. "Since I decided you might be worth my time."

Kuroko scoffed, lying back onto his bed. "Worth your time, huh? Fuck off, Akashi."

The redhead was quiet. So quiet, that Kuroko almost thought he'd left. But he lifted his head to find him staring back into his eyes. "Why are you still here?"

"… To be truthful, even I'm not sure."

Kuroko groaned and flopped his head back onto his pillow.

"Tetsuya!" Kuroko shot up with wide eyes as Shiiro ran in, his own eyes wide and panicked. "He's on the phone."

Kuroko groaned again and held his hand out, waiting for Shiiro to drop his cellphone into his palm. He pulled the device up to his ear, waving Shiiro out.

"What do you want?" he muttered into the phone.

Akashi looked on curiously. Kuroko wanted to tell him to leave, but he was more concerned with the man on the phone at the moment.

"… No, you can't…. Because I said so…. We don't want you here, dammit. Get it through your head."

Akashi could hear the voice on the other end get louder, and he managed to understand a few curses here and there. And then the line went dead, and Kuroko threw the phone on the other side of the room.

He violently rubbed at his eyes, breathing deeply, before he simply looked up at Akashi with a deadened gaze.

"So Akashi. Wanna fuck?"

XXXXX

As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, Kuroko couldn't even find it within himself to regret what he'd just done. Not yet, anyway.

"Akashi."

"Hm?"

"You're aware that this is a onetime thing, right?"

"… If you say so, Tetsuya."

He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut. "I hate you, Akashi."

"The feeling is mutual, I assure you."

He felt Akashi shift beside him. "Who was on the phone earlier?"

"None of your business."

"I think it is. Because whoever it was, that conversation is what made you change your mind."

Kuroko grunted as he opened his eyes to find the redhead staring at him curiously. He froze for a moment, staring at the boy beside him. This was the most emotion he'd ever seen Akashi show, other than the absolute loathing he held for him. It was… weird.

"It was my deadbeat father."

"…Your father curses at you like that?"

"Yeah, Akashi, this is a _really_ stupid conversation. And to be honest, I really want you out of my house right now."

Akashi was still, quiet, before he simply redressed himself and headed for the door.

Once Kuroko heard the door downstairs close, he buried his face into his pillow, trying to erase the memory of Akashi even being in his room, let alone inside him as he was only moments before.

Kenchi popped his head into the doorway, his eyes showing much concern for his brother. "Tetsuya, what are you doing?"

Kuroko sighed, throwing the pillow into the air.

"I don't know."


	6. Chapter 6

**Please bare with me on the basketball dialogue, guys. I suck at writing about sports, I'm sorry. –On another note, thank you soooo much for the reviews, you have no idea how much they mean to me. It's because of you all that I can even write at all. You give me the motivation, and I love you for it. Thank you *heart***

The sound of shoes squeaking across the court was all Kuroko could hear as he anxiously watched his teammates play. The longer he sat there, the more his gut twisted. What was Akashi thinking? They were losing, 96 to 84, and it was already the fourth quarter. When Akashi had said Kuroko would be in the game, he didn't expect it to be in the last four minutes. He sighed heavily as he watched the opposing team sink another basket.

"Kuroko, you're up!"

' _Finally.'_

Kuroko ran onto the court, readjusting his wristband as he surveyed his surroundings. Kise, Aomine, Midorima, Murasakibara. So he was replacing Akashi. Kuroko looked over to the redhead in confusion, wondering what he was thinking, but the other male just nodded as the game resumed.

Kise held the ball, and he was already in trouble. The boy guarding him, Haizaki Shogo, was a wellknown player for a reason. He was so close to Kise, Kuroko was sure he'd be fouled at any moment, but he wasn't, and Kise had nowhere to go.

Kuroko easily shook off his guard and ducked behind Kise, allowing the blonde to pass to him with ease. Kuroko caught a glance at Haizaki's eyes as he quickly passed the ball to Aomine. Haizaki hadn't known he was there, it was like he was invisible.

He liked the sound of that, an invisible Kuroko. For once, there were no eyes on him, other than his teammates'. He could move freely.

86 to 98. Twelve point gap. It was also the first basket they'd scored in the entire fourth quarter.

As the opposing team attempted to drive the ball across the court, Kuroko swiftly swooped in and jabbed the ball out of the player's hands, and directly into Midorima's. Kuroko watched in amazement as the green haired boy shot the ball from over the half court mark. He didn't think he'd ever truly get used to the people he was playing with.

The game continued this way, and Kuroko began to understand what Akashi had meant that day.

' _The team's spirit seems to grow when you're on the court.'_

He didn't understand why, but he could see it. In the way Kise's movements became perfectly rhythmed, in the time it took Midorima to prepare for his shots decreasing, in Aomine's increasing fluidity and ever elusive dangerous grin. Even Murasakibara seemed more interested- barely, but still more than before. And Kagami, though he sat on the bench at the moment, was excitedly cheering them on instead of anxiously waiting to be put back in.

No, he didn't understand this at all. But it felt nice.

XXXXX

As soon as the game was over and the team had changed, Kuroko went out to meet his siblings. As soon as she saw him, Nina was clinging onto him, giggling madly.

"Tetsuya~ That was such a good game~ I didn't understand anything, but Kenchi and Shiiro were really excited!"

Kuroko laughed and ruffled her hair as Shiiro nodded, a small smile on his face. "You were all great, Tetsuya."

"The score though!" Kenchi exclaimed, his excitement still holding firm on his conscious. "102 to 98! You never even let them score again! They should've put you in _wayyyy_ before that."

Kuroko smiled, shaking his head. "I didn't think I'd be put in at all."

"I told you you'd be in it."

Kuroko flinched and turned to find Akashi staring at him blankly. "A-Akashi, don't do that."

The redhead shrugged. "Then don't question me."

Kuroko rolled his eyes, finally pushing Nina off of him so that he could turn to face his captain properly. "Okay, fine. Now is there anything else you needed?"

"Ryouta is taking everyone out for a celebration in your honor, seeing as it is your first game."

Kuroko frowned, looking back to his small family. "I can't-"

"His treat. And, they can come too."

The bluenette blinked, wondering if Kise had really said that or if Akashi was just making it so. "Um, I don't know…"

"Ah come on, Tetsuya~" Nina sang, "Go out with your friends~"

"Yeah," Shiiro added, "we were going to give you a celebration too, but we didn't know what to do. So if we can really come, we can all celebrate together."

Kuroko paused, pondering over the situation until he let out a small sigh, his lips quirking up into a tiny smile. "Alright. Let's go celebrate."

XXXXX

Kuroko was thoroughly enjoying his family's smiles as they sat around a table at Maji Burger. It wasn't often they got to eat like this, and they'd certainly taken advantage of it. Kenchi had ordered three burgers, Shiiro had ordered two, and Nina had tried three different drinks. Kuroko just sat back with his single vanilla milkshake, watching as they teased one another and gushed over the game as if it was the greatest thing that had ever occurred.

He lifted his gaze to meet Kise's, as the blonde sat at a table nearby with Aomine and Kagami. Kise smiled at him, mouthing the words, 'they're adorable,' before turning back to lean into Aomine's side. Kuroko smiled softly, watching as the tan male lazily wrapped his arm around the blonde. He then turned his attention to another table, where Midorima, Murasakibara, and Akashi sat. The bluenette was happy to find that for once, Akashi wasn't already staring at him. But something seemed off with the redhead. He was staring straight ahead, not even pretending to listen to Midorima as he listed off Akashi's horoscope and lucky item.

Kuroko continued to stare at him curiously until his gaze was met with that of crimson.

"Shit," he muttered to himself, bringing his siblings' attention to him as well, as Akashi stood and made his way over to him.

"Tetsuya," the redhead said coolly, but his voice was just another thing that struck Kuroko as odd tonight. "Is there something wrong?"

"U-Uh, no, sorry. I was just looking around."

Akashi was silent, staring down at him, but not in the usual condescending way, either. Was this really even Akashi?

The redhead's matching eyes shifted to Nina as she slurped the last bit of her last drink. She pouted, shaking the empty cup at her brother. "Tetsuya~ Can you get me some more?"

Kuroko opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off before he could utter a single syllable.

"I'll do it."

The bluenette stared at Akashi, not even caring that his mouth was open like a fool. "Y-You will?"

"Sure. I'm already up," Akashi answered, holding a hand out to Nina.

The little girl happily placed her empty cup in his hand and watched him leave before turning back to her brother. "I like him, he's nice~"

Kuroko scoffed. "Nice, huh?"

Shiiro and Kenchi shared a concerned look. "Ne, Tetsuya," Shiiro said, "do you like Akashi? As a person, I mean?"

Kuroko was quiet as he stared at the redhead's back. "Not particularly, no. In fact, I rather hate him."

Kenchi's brows knitted together. "Then why did you-"

"That's not a topic to discuss over dinner, Kenchi. Eat your food."

The second eldest brother huffed but did as he was told, knowing he wasn't going to get anything else out of his brother right now.

When Akashi came back, Kuroko was more than surprised to find a genuine, charming smile on his face as he placed Nina's drink before her. "There you go- Oh, I don't know your name."

"It's Nina~" she giggled.

"Nina, that's a lovely name. A lovely name for a lovely girl, yes?"

She blushed and hid her face in her hair. "Thank you for the drink~"

Akashi's eyes softened, and Kuroko felt lightheaded at all of his sudden surprises tonight. "It was my pleasure," he said simply before walking back to his previous seat.

Nina sighed dreamily as she looked to Kuroko again. "Like I said, he's nice~ And if you don't take him, I will~"

XXXXX

That night, Kuroko tossed and turned in his bed. If anyone had asked, he would've blamed his restlessness on the hype of the game, but in truth, that had faded earlier at the restaurant. The real culprit, was his mind. All he could think of was Akashi. Everything he knew about Akashi, everything he'd seen Akashi do tonight, and everything Nina had said about Akashi. It was driving him mad.

His thoughts just continued to fall over one another. Akashi hated him, but he wanted to be fuck buddies. He was rude and blunt, but he was so nice to Nina. Akashi certainly was one for contradictions, it seemed.

Kuroko groaned as the thoughts became louder and louder by the second. What was worse was how repetitive they were. It was like they were on an infinite loop. It made him want to scream.

' _If you don't take him, I will."_

Did Nina think that Kuroko _liked_ Akashi? How could anyone think that? Yeah, he'd had sex with him, but he'd been a different person at the time, locked in a different state of mind. It was a onetime thing, and _just_ sex.

Why was he even thinking like this? If he was going to be upset about anything she'd said, it should be that a seven year old girl had wanted to claim a seventeen year old prick as her own love. He shoved his pillow onto his face, hoping that the loss of brain cells from suffocation would be enough to make the thoughts die.


	7. Chapter 7

Kuroko awoke the next morning to the very concerned voice of Shiiro. The bluenette slowly blinked himself into consciousness and turned to read the clock beside him. Not even six yet, why was Shiiro even awake?

"Wait," he mumbled, "Repeat everything you just said, very slowly."

"The power bill is due today. As well as our tuition."

"…Fuck!" Kuroko jumped up, hastily pulling out his money box. "Shit, I only have enough to pay the tuitions…"

' _And not even mine…'_

Shiiro groaned and buried his head in his hands. "What are we going to do?" he muttered.

Kuroko sighed, pushing his insane hair out of his face. "Don't worry about it. I'll figure it out. Why don't you make breakfast? I've got some errands to run."

Shiiro sighed as he stood to his feet and made his way downstairs. He'd learned long ago not to ask Kuroko what he was thinking when he said 'Don't worry about it.'

Meanwhile, Kuroko found a random t-shirt that didn't look too wrinkled and a pair of jeans without too many stains and threw them on as quickly as he could. He half attempted to fix his hair before running down the stairs. After putting on his shoes, he told Shiiro goodbye and sprinted out the door.

Now that he was alone, he could let his guard down and think properly. How was he supposed to come up with enough money to pay the bill and his tuition? Hell he hadn't even paid for his basketball uniform yet. He pulled out his phone, checking the time - 6:03. He had less than twelve hours to get the money.

Kuroko sighed, mumbling curses under his breath as he desperately tried to find a way around his predicament.

Borrow the money from someone? He didn't know anyone. And even so, how would he pay them back afterward?  
Get a job? What kind of job would pay that much on the first day?  
Steal? …No, he couldn't do that.

"Fuck…."

"Kuroko-cchi?"

The bluenette's eyes widened as he turned to find a concerned Kise staring at him curiously.

"Kuroko-cchi, are you okay?"

Kuroko took a calming breath before putting on an incredibly fake smile. "Of course, Kise. What are you doing out so early?"

The blonde raised his brow skeptically, but chose not to interrupt his performance just yet. "I'm heading to a shoot."

"A shoot..?"

Kise smiled softly. "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I'm a part time model as well."

Kuroko's eyes widened slightly. He could certainly see Kise as a model, he just hadn't expected it. "Oh, I see. Well good luck, then-"

"Kuroko-cchi, please tell me what's wrong."

"… It's nothing, Kise. I can handle it."

Kise frowned deeply, shaking his head. "I told you if you ever needed help, you could come to me. I meant it. No matter what it is."

Kuroko looked to the ground, feeling guilty for the pained look in Kise's eyes. Why did he care so much anyway? No, why wasn't Kuroko allowing him to care? They were friends now, after all, weren't they?

He sighed heavily, letting all of his worries come to surface. "I'm running low on cash, and we've got bills to pay today…"

Kise blinked before smiling and rolling his eyes at the smaller boy. "Really, that's all? If you need money, all you have to do is ask, Kuroko-cchi."

"But… I wouldn't be able to pay you back for a long time…"

The blonde shrugged. "I know you're good for your word. I'll tell you what, I'll give you the money you need, and you agree to come over to dinner with me and Daiki-cchi tomorrow night."

Kuroko thought it over before nodding slowly. "Alright, but I will pay you back as soon as I can."

Kise rolled his eyes as he forked out his wallet. "Don't be silly, dinner with you is all I want. Now, how much do you need?"

XXXXX

When Kuroko walked through his door, he was met with two worried faces. He blinked, looking between his brothers. "Eh, what's wrong?"

Kenchi rolled his eyes. "The money, man! Did you get it?"

"Oh, right. Yeah, I already paid it too. We're good for another month."

Both boys sighed in relief, but curiosity prickled at Shiiro's mind. "How did you do it, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko contemplated telling him the truth, but he didn't want them to think they owed anyone anything. Considering that's the way Kuroko had felt almost his entire life, he knew it was hell.

"Don't worry about it, Shiiro. The point is, we're all still in school and we still have power." He forced a smile and ruffled his hair, pulling a pout from the youngest boy.

"Oh, and you're on your own tomorrow night, if you can manage it."

Kenchi raised his brows suggestively. "Oh? Does Tetsuya have _plans?"_

"Yes, but not like that, you little brat," he answered teasingly.

Kenchi simply poked his tongue out at him before heading over to the fireplace to warm his hands.

Shiiro smiled at them fondly. "We can make it. I'm glad you're getting back into your own life, Tetsuya. You deserve it."

Kuroko smiled down at his brother, his heart clenching in his chest. "Thanks, Shiiro. But if anything goes wrong, you have to call me immediately."

"Of course."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

XXXXX

The next day, Kuroko received a text from an unknown number around noon.

' _Kuroko-cchi, are we still on for tonight?'_

Confused, he replied _, 'Yes, but, how did you get my number?'_

' _Oh, Akashi-cchi gave it to me~'_

He blinked. _'How does Akashi have my number?'_

' _Ah don't worry about it, Akashi-cchi has everyone's number.'_

Somehow that didn't make him feel any better, but he shrugged it off as he received another message.

' _I'll send you the address soon!'_

Kuroko sighed as he put his phone away and made his way downstairs. Nina caught sight of him immediately and beamed up at him from the kitchen table.

"Tetsuya~ Did you sleep well?"

' _No.'_

"Yes, I did, thank you."

The little girl smiled as she went back to eating her lunch. Shiiro stood behind the stove, preparing some kind of a meal that Kuroko had never seen before. He concluded that it was probably another self-made recipe for a new dish, as that was one thing that Shiiro often did when left alone to prepare meals.

As Kuroko sat across from Nina at the table, Shiiro set the food before him. "If I tell you what's in it, you won't eat it, but I'm sure you'll like it." With that, he turned and headed upstairs to his room.

Kuroko scrunched his nose up at the food before him, making Nina laugh as she watched him. He hesitantly took a bite. And another, and another. It didn't take long for him to agree with Shiiro. He certainly liked it.

"Shiiro said it was healthy for Tetsuya, because he needs his strength," Nina commented.

Kuroko smiled at her as he continued eating. He had tried his hardest to shield his family from the outside world. Of course, Shiiro and Kenchi had to grow up sometime, and Nina would too, but it was nice knowing that there was still one child in the Kuroko household that was full of life and innocence.

XXXXX

That evening, Kuroko found himself seated at a large table, in a beautiful home. Kise was steadily talking to him and Aomine, but Kuroko couldn't help but gaze at all of the splendor surrounding him. The elegantly modern furniture, the tall, painted ceiling, the intricately detailed paintings that hung on the walls. It was refreshing. Much better than the home he'd grown up in. Though he wasn't complaining.

"Kuroko-cchi?"

"Hm? Oh! Sorry, I was just admiring your home."

Aomine rolled his eyes. "You've been admiring it since you got here," he said through a mouthful of food.

Kise frowned, halfheartedly glaring at the tan boy. "Daiki-cchi, don't talk with your mouth full," he whispered harshly before turning an embarrassed smile to Kuroko.

"Kuroko-cchi, is something on your mind?"

"No, I really just love your home," he said honestly, his eyes shifting around once more.

Kise cocked his head curiously. "What's your home like?"

The bluenette stiffened ever so slightly. What did he have to be embarrassed about, though? So his house wasn't a model's mansion like this, it certainly could've been worse. He laughed softly to himself, "Nothing like this."

Aomine raised a brow. "Tell us, I'm curious too."

"Well, my home is, rather small," he began, trying to find a way to describe it without making it seem more terrible than it was. "It has two stories, with all of the bedrooms upstairs. Weirdly, the only bathroom is also upstairs. It's hot in the summer, and cold in the winter, as we don't have heating or air. But we have a fireplace, so we make due. We don't have a lot of furniture, or decorations. Mostly basic necessities. But, it's a pretty nice place I guess. Not a complete dump."

Kise looked rather thoughtful for a moment. "I'd like to see your home someday, Kuroko-cchi."

Kuroko smiled, "Yeah, maybe you can see it when you see Nina dance."

The blonde returned his smile as he drank his tea, as Aomine looked on in open confusion. He eventually shook it off and turned to Kise.

"Oi, Ryouta, do you have anything to drink?"

Kise sighed, rolling his eyes, "There's beer in the refrigerator."

"Sweet," he said as he stood and left the room.

"Ah, Daiki-cchi! If you're going to get yourself some, you should at least offer us some as well!"

They could hear Aomine's loud, exasperated sigh before he turned and slumped back into the room. "Would the two of you like anything also?"

Kise smiled as if Aomine wasn't glaring holes through his head at that moment. "I'll also take one, thank you. Kuroko-cchi?"

Kuroko blinked as both males' eyes fell on him. "Ehh… Do you have whiskey?"

Kise blinked. "Yes, we do. Dai-"

"I've got it."

The blonde watched as his boyfriend left the room once more, before turning his golden gaze to Kuroko. "Whiskey, hm? Honestly, I didn't peg you for the drinking type at all."

Kuroko shrugged. "I'm not really, but when I do, I prefer whiskey. The smell of beer makes me nauseous."

Kise smiled and nodded. "That's understandable, I suppose. So, tell me more about you, Kuroko-cchi~"

"Uh, well, I don't really know what to tell you. I live a pretty boring life."

"On the contrary, if I do say so myself. If you're singlehandedly taking care of your three siblings whilst still going to school and playing basketball, I'd say your life is far from boring."

Kuroko laughed humorlessly, nodding. "Yeah, perhaps boring wasn't the right word."

Aomine came in then, setting the three drinks before them. Kuroko instantly took his and chugged half of it, as the others watched him with wide eyes.

When he set his glass down, he looked up to find Kise's worried expression, and he laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm just a little nervous."

Aomine grunted. "About what?"

"Being here. It's such a nice home, and you both are such amazing people, and I'm not used to any of this."

Kise smiled at him reassuringly as he took a sip of his own drink. "You can relax, Kuroko-cchi. We're normal people too. You don't have to be so uptight."

Kuroko let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding and nodded, his smile genuine for the first time that night.

XXXXX

Once Kuroko had left, Aomine had agreed to help Kise clean up before he also took his leave. As the two were putting things away, Kise stopped and turned to the tan boy.

"Daiki-cchi, I really am worried about him."

Aomine paused in his movements, regarding Kise solemnly. "I know, but if he wants to talk about it, he will, right?"

The blonde sighed, resuming his work. "I suppose you're right…"

' _I hope so anyway…'_


	8. Chapter 8

"Tetsuya... Tetsuya... Tetsuya!"

Kuroko bolted upright, heart pounding as he frantically searched his surroundings. He soon found that he was in the locker room, and he vaguely remembered practicing with the team. His eyes finally fell upon Akashi, arms crossed as he loomed over him.

"Tetsuya, everyone left ages ago. How could you fall asleep here?"

Kuroko sighed and forced himself up from the floor, his body aching from the harsh position he'd laid in. "I was tired..."

"Why are you so tired today? You fell asleep three times in class, too."

Kuroko's nose scrunched up. "I was up late. Why were you paying that much attention to me anyway?"

"Go home, Tetsuya," Akashi replied, of course ignoring his question.

Kuroko scoffed, and still in his half dazed state, he asked, "What, you're not going to come over again today?"

Akashi blinked at him, and Kuroko suddenly paled significantly. He could practically see the thoughts in Akashi's head, and he did not like them at all.

"Well if you insist, Tetsuya," was all the redhead said before he pulled Kuroko out of the room.

XXXXX

As everyone sat around the table for dinner- another spur of the moment recipe of Shiiro's- Kenchi wouldn't stop staring at Akashi, his eyes searching over every inch of his body. Kuroko noticed this, and would've commented had it been any other guest, but he didn't want Akashi here anyway. So let him be uncomfortable under his brother's gaze.

The problem was, he wasn't uncomfortable at all. Akashi was staring right back at Kenchi, even attempting to keep eye contact. If anyone was uncomfortable, it was Kuroko.

The bluenette sighed, "Please postpone the staring contest. It's rather annoying."

Kenchi grumbled something under his breath and reluctantly pulled is gaze away, eliciting a small somewhat victorious smirk from the redhead.

Nina smiled up at Akashi from her place beside him. "What's your name again~?"

Akashi smiled back at her, his eyes softening. "Akashi Seijuro."

"A~ka~shi~ Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

Shiiro's eyes flickered to his sister, well aware of that tone in her voice, but neither Kenchi nor Kuroko seemed to catch on until it was too late.

"Are you dating Tetsuya?"

Kuroko coughed on the very air he was breathing, his eyes wide. "Nina?!"

Akashi's smile never wavered. "No, he's being hard to get."

"Akashi!"

Nina giggled, nodding. "He's stubborn like that~"

Akashi laughed and turned to find Kuroko staring at him incredulously. The redhead cleared his throat and returned his gaze to Nina. "Actually, Nina, to be honest, Tetsuya and I don't really get along."

Her brows knitted together in innocent confusion. "Then, why are you here?"

"It's.. Kind of an adult thing."

Kenchi snorted, "You're not an adult. You're only seventeen."

Akashi raised a brow at him. "Oh? Well so is your brother, but he seems to be the only adult around here." Akashi could feel the tension rise dramatically, and he wondered what he'd said to cause such a reaction.

"That's different. Tetsuya has proven himself to be an adult. What have you done, lead the basketball team?"

Akashi's eyes narrowed slightly, but more in observation than anger. He could see the hurt on Kenchi's face, though the boy was desperately trying to hide it behind his badass façade.

Kuroko sighed deeply, standing to his feet. "Akashi, come with me please."

Akashi blinked but followed Kuroko upstairs to his room, leaving the other children to stare at their brother's uneaten food.

Kuroko fell onto his bed with another deep sigh, as Akashi slowly positioned himself beside him. "Akashi, if you're going to be around here, don't say things like that. For their sake."

The redhead didn't have to question what he was talking about, but he certainly was curious as to the reasoning behind it. "Where are your parents, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko smiled, small and bitter, as he lay back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling above him. "My father, as I've told you before, is absolutely useless. We kicked him out a long time ago. Who knows where he is."

Akashi stared at him in silence, waiting for his mother's explanation. He'd been in Kuroko's house a few times now, and he'd only seen one picture of who he assumed to be the woman in question. The picture was torn and reattached with taped, in a shattered frame, barely poking out from under Kuroko's bed.

"My mother is dead."

His crimson eyes widened slightly. He hadn't known what to expect, but certainly not that. "How did she die?" He hadn't meant to ask, he felt it was rude, and though Akashi hated Kuroko, he was tired of being needlessly rude. But the words had simply fell out of his mouth.

"I don't know. My father came home without her one day. I asked where she was. The response I got was a drunkenly slurred, 'Dead, get over it.'"

Akashi frowned, feeling an unfamiliar twinge in his chest. Before he could figure out what it was, Kuroko surprised him yet again.

"Akashi?"

"Hm?"

"… Let's do it again."

The redhead was confused, though he knew exactly what Kuroko was talking about. He'd said it was a onetime thing, though, that it would never happen again. He began to question Kuroko's incentives, but stopped when he saw the single tear falling down his face. Well, if it was what he wanted, Akashi certainly wasn't going to complain.

Akashi rolled over onto Kuroko's body, nipping at the base of his neck as his fingers trailed along his torso, until they reached the band of his jeans.

XXXXX

Kuroko felt completely numb as he lay next to Akashi, who was still panting rather heavily beside him. He never really thought he would be this kind of person, to solve his problems through sex. But it didn't really surprise him. His father had always told him he'd grow up to be a whore.

"Akashi?"

"Yes?"

Kuroko paused for a moment, not quite sure what he'd meant to ask to begin with, but as his will faded, his tongue grew loose. "Why do you hate me?"

"...I don't."

His blue eyes widened slightly as his head fell to the side. "But you said you did."

Akashi nodded solemnly. "Yes, and I did, at the time."

Kuroko's brows furrowed, his head spinning. "Then, why-?"

The redhead thoughtfully turned his gaze to the ceiling. "I was raised to hate those that actively search for excuses. Those people that always look for the easy way out. When you came to school late and claimed you had a family to look after, I assumed you were over exaggerating for your own sake." He turned his head to face Kuroko once more, his eyes soft and unguarded, but as serious as ever. "I realize now that that is not the case. Your brother is right, you are more of an adult that I will ever be."

Kuroko was frozen in absolute astonishment. Was this real? Was this actually Akashi? Where were the hidden cameras?

"Akashi..."

"Yes, Tetsuya?"

"… You're a dumbass."

XXXXX

The next morning, Kuroko zombily shuffled into his class, falling into his seat without even realizing Akashi was standing right next to it waiting for him.

"Did you not sleep well, Tetsuya?" He asked, and Kuroko cut his eyes up at him.

"It's hard to sleep well if you don't sleep at all."

Akashi frowned, catching Kuroko off guard as he seemed genuinely concerned. "Is it because of me?"

"… No, just thinking too much."

The redhead nodded, but it was clear he was still partially blaming himself. Kuroko wasn't sure he liked this side of Akashi. It was weird, and he almost wished they were back to hating one another. Not that he'd ever stopped hating Akashi.

"Hey, Tetsuya, I've been thinking."

"Woah, congratulations," he muttered sarcastically.

Akashi rolled his eyes but continued on, "I know you still hate me, but we've had sex twice now, and-"

Kuroko groaned loudly, momentarily cutting him off. "Do you _have_ to be so blunt about that? And here, of all places? What if someone heard you?"

The redhead blinked. "I didn't think it was a secret. Anyway, since you seem to have no problem with that, what do you say we make it a semi regular thing?"

"...Like offical fuck buddies?"

"Yeah. I mean, you're still my best bet, and I'm always down to help you out with this at least."

Kuroko spent a long moment just staring up at Akashi like he was insane, though the boy never seemed fazed by it at all. Eventually he heaved a sigh, waving his hand dismissively as he turned to face the front of the room. "Yeah, sure, whatever. I don't care. But it's _just sex,_ okay?"

"Of course."


	9. Chapter 9

Akashi never asked for sex. He sometimes hinted at it, and there were a few times Kuroko could _see_ it, but he never once asked. This left Kuroko to be the one to decide when and where, and he only did so when he was stressed or angry- more so than usual, of course. It was times like these that Kuroko would practically force himself onto Akashi, searching for the numb detachment that always overcame him once Akashi was inside him. After a month since their arrangement had been made, the two had lay down together four more times. Kuroko's siblings were quickly getting used to seeing the redhead at their home, though Kenchi was still wary of him. He didn't quite understand what Kuroko was thinking, but he decided that he knew how to take care of himself. Still, he would watch from the sidelines, ready to cut in if at any time it seemed that Kuroko could no longer make a rational decision, or if Akashi ever hurt him in any way.

Nina, on the other hand, was absolutely in love with the idea of Akashi being over so often. Even on the days that Kuroko refused to even think of sex, he was rarely home without the redhead. Nina had taken advantage of this and, instead of asking her brothers, she would go to Akashi for help with her homework, or even simply to play. It was one of these days that Kuroko momentarily lost it.

Nina was gleefully painting Akashi's nails one afternoon, something Kuroko had never thought he'd see in his lifetime, but the dopey happy look on Akashi's face today just set him on edge. Maybe it was because he could hardly step into his own home without seeing Akashi, or even hearing his name. Whatever it was, it made him snap.

"Akashi."

"Hm?"

"Can you leave?"

Akashi blinked at the sudden question, though it wasn't spoken as a question at all. He turned his crimson eyes to Kuroko's icy blue ones. "…Uh, sure."

The redhead turned back to Nina one last time to give her a charming smile and a promise of next time. The little girl pouted and clung to him like a leech before he gently pried her off and stood to his feet. As he made his way to the door, Kuroko followed him out.

Once they were outside, Kuroko closed the door silently and turned to face Akashi's confused gaze.

"What are you doing?"

Akashi's brows furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You're over here almost every day, helping the kids with their work, playing with Nina. What do you think you're doing?"

Akashi shrugged. "I like it here. And they like having me around, it seems."

Kuroko shook his head. "You're playing house here, and that's not allowed. You're acting like you're a part of the family, and you're not. What we have isn't a relationship, Akashi. It's _just sex."_

Akashi's crimson eyes narrowed, and his expression was unreadable. "I know that, Kuroko," he said calmly, though Kuroko did not miss the change of name. "I'll just be going now."

Kuroko nodded and watched him leave before going back inside.

XXXXX

A week later, Kuroko had hardly seen Akashi at all. Sure he'd seen him in class and during practice, but the redhead never went out of his way to talk to him anymore.

' _Good riddance_ ,' he thought, but something inside him hurt. This was especially true when he noticed Shiiro's saddened expression at having one less person to try his surprisingly magical food, and Nina's lack of interest in the things she once called fun now that Akashi was no longer there to enjoy them with her. Kenchi, however, seemed unfazed by the redhead's lack of presence. That is, until he noticed Kuroko's change in behavior.

The bluenette wasn't sleeping again. He had dark obvious circles around his sunken eyes, his skin was white as paper, and he was hardly eating anymore- not that he'd eaten much to begin with. Shiiro noticed this as well, but he had assumed it was a school related issue. Only Kenchi seemed to realize what was going on in Kuroko's head, even before Kuroko knew.

One day, as Kuroko was changing in the locker room after practice, he overheard Midorima and Murasakibara talking.

"Ne, Mido-chin, did you hear about Aka-chin?"

Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose before continuing to tape his fingers. "You're going to have to be more specific than that."

"Aka-chin has a girlfriend."

The room was silent for a moment, as everyone's eyes turned to Murasakibara, who continued to chomp away on his snacks as if he wasn't the center of attention right now.

Kise's eyes widened, and he jumped over to the purple headed giant. "Ehh? Who is it? How do you know?"

"Some girl from another school… I saw her before practice… She said she was his girlfriend."

"How did that demonic freak get a girl?" Kagami exclaimed.

Murasakibara shrugged. "I dunno…"

Kuroko slammed his locker door shut, unaware that he'd brought everyone's attention to himself now, before turning to see Akashi walk through the door. The redhead was instantly bombarded with questions- mostly from Kise- regarding his newly found relationship before Kuroko mindlessly walked up to him, the aura around him cutting through everyone's conversations as all eyes found him once more.

Akashi stared at him evenly, noting that something was off with him. "Kuroko."

"What the hell?"

Akashi blinked. "What have I done now?"

"You have a girlfriend? And didn't tell me?"

The redhead's matching eyes narrowed. "I wasn't aware it was any of your business, Kuroko."

"Well it kinda is, considering I thought we still had an arrangement here."

Akashi was silent for a moment. "You mean the just sex arrangement? I thought you put an end to that. But if you wanted it that badly, you could've just said something earlier."

Kuroko rolled his eyes. "Would you really continue what we had while dating that girl?"

"Kuroko, that girl means nothing to me. We're not even dating. I made sure she knew that it was purely physical before we even started. But, I allowed her to call us whatever she wanted to."

The bluenette stared at Akashi in disbelief, trying to soak the words into his brain. "Why the hell would you let her do that?"

Akashi merely shrugged. "I don't really care either way, so… Kuroko, why are you so mad?"

"I'm not mad."

"Hm, yes you are. Is it because I let her call me her boyfriend?"

"What?" Kuroko exclaimed incredulously. "No!"

The room was dangerously silent, as everyone watched the two's conversation in silent astonishment.

"… What the fuck, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko could only watch in stunned silence as Akashi lost his temper for the first time in, maybe, forever.

"You say you hate me, you won't let me help you with your family, and you say that what we have is _just sex,_ but when I have _just sex_ with someone else, you act like we're fucking together! Make up your damn mind! Honestly, I could go either way. I actually think I'm starting to _like_ you, but if you're going to lead me on like this and be this fucking bipolar, just get out of my life!"

Kuroko stood with his mouth agape as Akashi stormed out of the room. Only moments later, was the silence broken by Akashi's slightly muffled scream on the other side of the court. Kuroko's heart clenched at the raw emotion that came from the redhead's echoes, and he wondered why he was even acting the way he was.

Kise saw the bluenette's tears before they even emerged, and he quickly ran to his aid. He helped him to one of the benches before he collapsed, his body weak from the emotional strain he'd put himself through.

Kise was the only one that knew how to act in such a situation, as the other team members just stared on in awkward silence.

"Kuroko-cchi, you didn't tell me you liked Akashi-cchi…"

Kuroko shook his head in desperate denial. "I hate him…"

The blonde sighed, turning his gaze to Aomine for just a moment. "No, you don't…"

Kuroko was shaking, his silent tears racking his body. Kise wondered why his tears were so quiet, and that's when he realized how hurt Kuroko really was inside. This went further than Akashi. Kuroko had spent a long time learning how to cry silently. It made Kise's heart hurt and his blood boil.

"Kuroko-cchi, I bet, if you talk to him-"

"No.."

Aomine rolled his eyes and stepped forward, kneeling before Kuroko. "Tetsu, look at me."

Kuroko slowly opened his eyes, wiping the tears away to stare into Aomine's dark eyes.

"You like him. And that's fine. There's nothing wrong with liking a demonic redhead with a god complex."

Kuroko laughed softly, though it was small and bitter.

"And he just admitted to liking you. So, just, talk to him. Apologize for being a dick, because obviously you were one." Aomine paused as Kise glared at him, but he shook his head like it didn't matter and continued. "But you better hurry up. If you two started out as a physical couple too, it might not be long before him and that girl become the real deal."

That was enough to shut Kuroko's tears up, and he stared blankly into Aomine's gaze for a long moment. "… I'll kill a bitch."

Aomine laughed and ruffled his hair, "That's the spirit. Now go."

He didn't have to tell him twice. Kuroko was up and running toward the door before the words had left his mouth. Kise sighed and looked to his boyfriend in concern.

"Do you really think he'll be okay?"

Aomine simply smiled. "Yeah, he'll be fine. And if all of this works out, we may have easier practices from here on out."

XXXXX

It felt like forever before Kuroko found Akashi, when in reality, it was only five minutes. The redhead had been absentmindedly walking toward Kuroko's home, as his feet had forgotten the path to his own. The bluenette's heart had jumped in his throat when he caught sight of the shock of red atop his head.

"Akashi… Akashi!"

Akashi turned his confused expression to Kuroko, and the bluenette could still see a spark of anger in his crimson eyes. He ran to him as quickly as he could, holding the redhead's arm so that he couldn't leave if he later decided to.

"Akashi… I'm sorry."

All emotions disappeared from Akashi's face as he focused on Kuroko completely, eyes serious and intent.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked emotionlessly.

"…I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry that I hated you, and that I was so rude to you, and that I kicked you out last week, and that I got upset about that girl even though I have no right to be upset at all, and I'm just.. sorry, for everything."

Crimson eyes narrowed slightly as they regarded Kuroko carefully, and the bluenette shrunk under their intense gaze, afraid of what the boy may say.

"… I forgive you, Tetsuya."

Kuroko's eyes widened slightly, his heart pounding within his chest. "Y-You do?"

"Yes. Well, on one condition."

His blood ran cold. "W-what condition..?"

Akashi smiled softly, and it was beautiful and charming and perfect- seemingly sending Kuroko's heart flying out of his chest. "I'd like to upgrade from just sex."

Kuroko blinked. "Wha-"

"Be my boyfriend, Tetsuya."

The bluenette continued to blink up at him in confusion until a small pink tinge crept onto his cheeks, and he gave a small, short nod. "O-okay."


	10. Chapter 10

The next day was oddly calm for Kuroko. He woke up to a quiet house, as his siblings had already fixed themselves breakfast and left for school. The bluenette checked the clocks three times, still paranoid that he was running late, but he was fine so far. When he got to school, Akashi greeted him only with a smile before turning to a book in his hands. It felt strange, that smile being directed toward him.

When practice came around, it was clear that the rest of the team was eager to see how things had turned out for Kuroko and Akashi- mostly because of Aomine's previous words. They were all curious to see if Akashi would really change his practices based on his relationship status.

Normally, Akashi would be able to detect such thoughts as well, but today was not a usual day. It was his first day officially dating Kuroko, and he was seeing the world through rose coloured glasses. As he entered the gym, he made a beeline to Kuroko, planting a small kiss on his cheek before turning to the rest of the team.

"Ten laps around the school. Then we'll run some plays, followed by a short practice game."

The others nodded and went to change before doing as instructed. Before Akashi came into the room, Aomine grinned triumphantly, looking to Kagami. "Told you he'd go easier on us. You owe me a Mai magazine."

Kagami glared at him. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll bring it tomorrow."

Kise beamed excitedly as he danced over to Kuroko. "Kuroko-cchi~ Seems like you and Akashi-cchi are a thing now, yes~?"

Kuroko blushed slightly, avoiding the blonde's eyes. "Yeah… I'm not sure how long it'll last though…"

Kise's smile faded, and he cocked his head curiously. "What do you mean?"

Kuroko sighed. "There's a reason I don't have relationships often. It won't be long before Akashi is sucked into my family's drama, and even more of my 'bipolar' tendencies."

Kise frowned, pondering on what to say, but before he could come up with anything, Akashi entered the room, ending the conversation.

"Atsushi, put your all into running today. Your long strides should be coupled with speed. Taiga, I don't care if you compete with Daiki, but don't get so worked up. It's annoying."

Kagami opened his mouth to argue when Kuroko jumped to his aid, clamping a hand over his mouth as Akashi glared at the hotheaded boy before continuing.

"Shintaro, what is your lucky item today?"

The green haired boy held up a doll. "A 2002 limited edition Tango Barbie."

Snickers were heard across the room, until Akashi sent a warning look to each individual. He then turned his crimson eyes back to Midorima. "Make sure it doesn't get in the way of practice, or you will be severely punished."

Midorima nodded, putting the Barbie to the side momentarily.

"Ryouta, don't spend too much time talking to Tetsuya or Daiki. Or anyone. In fact, don't say a word until the run is over."

"Ahh, so mean~" Kise whined.

"Daiki, I expect you to be in either first or second place by the end. If you are not, you will be punished, as well."

Kuroko spoke up then. "You say that as if it's a race."

Akashi nodded. "Perhaps it is. It seems to be the only way to motivate Daiki, anyway."

Aomine grinned excitedly. "Yes! I will destroy you Kagami!"

"Like hell you will!"

Akashi cleared his throat, and the room went silent once more. "Tetsuya," he said, "give it all you've got."

Kuroko nodded, and Akashi sent one last look to everyone.

"Alright. Go."

XXXXX

Once practice was over, everyone was panting heavily and complaining about how tired they were, but that was because it was the first practice they'd all truly enjoyed together. Akashi was still sending out death threats occasionally, and of course he still meant every one, but there was a calmness to him. Not the cold, calculating calm they were all used to. A true calm, one that made everyone else feel at ease, but also step up their game.

"Kuroko-cchi?" Kuroko blinked as he turned back to Kise, the blonde smiling at him from across the room. "You did good today. Better than you usually do in practices."

"…Thanks."

"So is it because you and Akashi had fun last night?"

Kuroko flushed as Kise wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Wh-"

Akashi swooped in then, causing Kise to pale and shy away sheepishly. "Actually we didn't get to have any fun last night," he said coolly before turning to Kuroko. "So what about tonight?"

Kuroko's blush only deepened as everyone's eyes were on him, and his heart was racing in his chest at the attention. "U-uh.. S-sure…"

Akashi smiled softly, shaking his head. "You can say no if you want to, Tetsuya."

Kuroko slowly shook his head as his eyes trailed to the others, and Akashi realized what he was thinking. He turned back to them, "There's nothing to see. Go home."

In an instant, everyone had disappeared but Kise. Akashi opened his mouth to repeat himself when Kuroko cut him off.

"Thank you, Kise."

The blonde's eyes widened. "Eh? For what?"

The bluenette's eyes shifted to Akashi for just a moment before finding the floor. "For not letting me make an even bigger mistake…"

Kise smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "I didn't do anything of the sort, Kuroko-cchi. But if you ever need anything-"

"I know, thank you."

The blonde nodded and waved goodbye before leaving the two alone.

Akashi then turned his gaze to Kuroko, who still wouldn't look him in the eye. "What did you mean by that?"

Kuroko shrugged. "Kise and Aomine are the ones that talked me into talking to you yesterday…"

Akashi was quiet for a moment before he wrapped an arm around his new boyfriend. "Well then I'm glad they did. Let's go, Tetsuya. We can get something for dinner on the way home."

Kuroko let the home comment slip for now, but he had to say something about the dinner. "You know I can't afford that."

"My treat. Think of it as an apology for being so hateful toward you for so long."

XXXXX

When Kuroko arrived home with Akashi in tow, he was met with a screech from Nina, a small smile from Shiiro, and a confused expression from Kenchi. The redhead smiled down at the little girl clinging to his leg as he somehow managed to make it to the table, setting down the armful of food he'd been carrying. Kuroko followed suit, placing the five drinks they'd bought on the table also.

Shiiro stared down at the food as if it was the food of the gods. "Akashi. I think I love you."

Akashi laughed softly. "No, you just love the food."

The boy smiled, nodding. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Well I love you!" Nina exclaimed, still wrapped around his leg.

Akashi smiled at her before picking her up, eliciting a squeal as he did so. "Is that so?"

She nodded vigorously. "Yep~ If Tetsuya doesn't date you, I am!"

Akashi looked over to find Kuroko's face tinted pink, and his smile grew warmer. "Well I hate to break it to you, Nina, but he's beat you to it."

"Wait, what?" Kenchi asked, finally making himself a part of the conversation.

Kuroko nodded, avoiding his gaze. "He asked me out yesterday. I didn't get to tell you because you were so busy last night, and you weren't here this morning…"

Kenchi stared at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. "I thought you hated him!"

The bluenette shrugged, chancing a quick glance to the redhead in question. "I guess there's a pretty thin line between hate and… Anyway, dinner's here. Let's eat! I'm sure we all have homework to get done before school tomorrow."

"Tetsuya."

"What is it, Shiiro?"

"We don't have school tomorrow."

"Ehh, s-shut up. Let's eat."


	11. Chapter 11

Though the previous day had been much calmer than Kuroko was used to, this morning was as hectic as ever.

The bluenette was awoken by the smoke alarm going off, only to find that Shiiro had accidentally dropped something into the eye of the stove and it had caught fire for a good two minutes. So then the house smelled like burnt food for a few hours. Nina had lost her makeup case and was frantically searching the house for it, becoming more and more agitated by the second. And Kenchi slept through it all, so he was no help. Kuroko had finally found the air fresheners they'd stored away, and was desperately trying to rid the house of the foul stench when Akashi walked in.

"Woah, it smells terrible in here."

Kuroko cut his eyes at him as he continued his task. "Don't you knock?"

"Actually I smelled the stench outside and got worried, so no. What happened here?"

"It's nothing."

Just then Nina came running through, screaming at the top of her lungs. Kuroko groaned and flopped onto the floor, burying his head in his hands. Akashi's eyes widened as he watched the usually sugary sweet girl run past him obliviously.

"What's wrong with Nina?"

Kuroko didn't lift his head, so when he spoke, his words were muffled. "She can't find her fucking makeup…"

Akashi's brows knitted together, and he walked into the main room, straight to the sofa. He lifted a cushion to reveal the missing object. As Nina ran past him once more, he shot his arm out and caught her, pulling her closer to him. Her shrieks only got louder until he placed the makeup kit in her hands, and she instantly stopped. She blinked down at it for a long while before lifting her eyes to Akashi's. She beamed up at him, and suddenly, that wretched monster of a girl was gone.

"Thank you A~ka~shi!"

The redhead nodded and watched as she ran back to her room before he went back to Kuroko's side. He knelt beside him, stroking his pastel blue hair softly. "Rough day, huh?"

Kuroko snorted. "It's only noon…"

Akashi smiled at him, taking in his mess of an appearance. His hair hadn't been combed, and his clothes were wrinkled and falling off of him. He couldn't see his eyes at the time, but he knew they were tired and surrounded by dark circles.

"Tetsuya! The pipes are broken again!"

Kuroko groaned loudly, throwing his head back to yell up the stairs. "You're just now getting up, and _this_ is the first thing you tell me, Kenchi?!"

"It's not my fault it's broken!"

The bluenette heaved a heavy sigh, turning his tired eyes to Akashi. "Why are you here anyway?"

The redhead frowned. "I wanted to see my boyfriend."

Kuroko closed his eyes, another sigh falling from his lips. "Right. Boyfriend. Still getting used to that."

Akashi looked at him seriously, eyeing him up and down. "What's wrong with the pipes, do you think?"

"The same thing that's always wrong with them. They break around three times a year."

"And you fix them?"

"Of course."

"…So why do they keep breaking?"

Kuroko opened his eyes then, and they already seemed more tired than just a moment ago. "We're missing a part. We can't afford it. So we use duct tape. But that only lasts for so long."

"…I can help."

Kuroko raised a brow. "No, you can't."

"Why not? I'm sure I have enough-"

"No, Akashi." The bluenette looked around to make sure the others were out of hearing range before continuing. "We don't like to owe anyone anything. Hell, we _can't afford_ to owe anyone anything, and right now, I already owe Kise."

Akashi's brows knitted together. "Kise? You'll let Ryouta help, but not me?"

Kuroko sighed, shaking his head. "It's not like that. It was the only choice we had, and he offered. They don't know yet. And they never will, as far as I'm concerned. Kise said I don't owe him anything, but I can't stand taking without giving back. And I will not let that happen again."

Akashi frowned. "You're stubborn, Tetsuya."

"I know, but that's how we do things around here."

"… Can I make a deal with you then?"

Kuroko rolled his eyes but nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"Let me help you with this, and anything else you _absolutely need_ , and in return, perhaps I could stay here?"

Kuroko blinked at him, letting the words sink in. "What? You have a home, though. And a family."

Akashi nodded. "I know, but it _is_ rather far away. And I'm hardly there anyway. My mother would be okay with it as long as I was happy, and my father wouldn't care as long as my studies aren't affected."

Kuroko was quiet for a while, turning the thought over in his head. "…Okay. But only the absolute necessities."

Akashi smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"Tetsuya!"

"I'm coming!"

XXXXX

That evening was much better than the day had begun. Akashi had bought the part for the pipes and watched as Kuroko fixed them, and he'd shown Shiiro a way to be sure nothing fell into the stove's eyes, and he'd even given Kenchi a few tips on how to handle some situations without Kuroko's help. After all of that, he'd rented a movie, helped Shiiro prepare a quick dinner, and sat everyone around the television in the main room. Kuroko sat on the sofa between his brothers, watching as Nina painted Akashi's nails once more. The redhead was staring at the TV screen, seemingly entranced, and Kuroko wondered if he had any idea that Nina was even touching his hand. It didn't matter though. Akashi had already proven that he was okay with almost anything the children wanted to do with him. And the giddy smile on Nina's face was enough to make Kuroko relax and enjoy the movie.

XXXXX

When Monday came around, the morning was strangely pleasant. Kuroko awoke to the amazing smell of food, and he rushed downstairs to find everyone already waiting for him. Nina and Kenchi sat at the table, eagerly awaiting the masterpiece that was breakfast. Shiiro was standing over the stove, and Akashi stood beside him- wearing an apron. A pink, frilly apron.

Kuroko laughed softly as he sat beside Nina. "Where did you find that, Akashi?"

The redhead smiled at him. "Nina found it for me."

"It's one of mommy's~"

Kuroko froze for a moment, watching as the little girl played with a strand of her hair, oblivious to Kuroko's feelings. Akashi, however, was staring at the bluenette worriedly until a smile crept onto his face.

"Is that so? I wasn't aware that Mother cooked."

Kenchi snorted. "Mother never cooked, but you know she bought all sorts of kitchen accessories."

Kuroko nodded. "You're right, I forgot… She used to buy the weirdest things too. The kinda stuff we would never use."

"Yeah, like that blender with seven settings," Shiiro said.

"Or the butter spreader!" Kenchi added.

Kuroko laughed. " _'But what if there's an apocalypse and knives don't exists anymore?'_ That thing was useless."

Akashi smiled at them all, but he didn't miss the hint of pain behind Kuroko's eyes.

"Tetsuya, will you tell me more about mommy?"

Kuroko looked to Nina, her eyes shining bright with hope. He smiled back at her and nodded. "What do you want to know, Nina?"

"Hmmm, anything!"

"Alright~ Well, Mother was pretty strange sometimes. She had a crazy sense of humor. And she could be fairly… spontaneous."

Nina tilted her head slightly, and Akashi couldn't help but smile at how cute she was then. "Spon.. tanyus?"

Kuroko smiled softly. "Sorry, um, she was, random. She didn't really think about things before she did them. And she would always wake up _really_ early so she could braid her hair before anyone saw how messy it was."

"Like yours!"

The bluenette laughed, nodding. "Yes, I get that from her."

Nina beamed up at him, satisfaction in her eyes, until curiosity hit. "Ah, but, what do we get from mommy?"

Kuroko blinked, thinking. "Well, Shiiro gets her love of cooking, though he actually puts it to work. Kenchi has her strong will. And you? You have her hair."

Nina stared at him in awe, her fingers still clung around her white blonde hair, and she looked to it like it was suddenly magical. "Mommy gave me her hair?"

Kuroko smiled and nodded. "Yep, and when you grow up, I bet you'll look just like she did."

XXXXX

As Akashi and Kuroko walked to school, the redhead decided to make conversation, though he probably could have come up with a better topic.

"So, when did your mother die?"

"Seven years ago."

"… But Nina's only seven now…"

Kuroko nodded, his face showing no trace of emotion. "Yes, she died only a couple of months after she gave birth to her."

Akashi frowned deeply. "She never knew her mother…"

Kuroko bit his tongue, waiting for Akashi's next question which was sure to come soon. He'd noticed the curious glint he got in his eye whenever they discussed his family. And sure enough, there was a follow up.

"You said you kicked your father out. When did that happen?"

"Three years ago."

Akashi stopped in his tracks, making Kuroko do the same. "You've been taking care of them alone for three years?"

Kuroko nodded. "Yeah. Well, actually longer. But that's when we got him out of the way."

Akashi wasn't used to the emotions he felt swelling in his chest. He couldn't even name some of them. "How did you kick him out? He didn't just leave when you asked nicely, did he?"

Kuroko laughed, shaking his head. "No, see, the house is in my mother's name, and they'd never actually gotten married. So I told him he could either leave peacefully, or I'd call the cops."

"And he left?"

"Not exactly. We waited until he was too drunk to walk, which didn't take long at all, and Kenchi and I threw him outside. Shiiro ran to the store and bought new locks, and we changed them as soon as he got home."

"…Your father sounds like a mess."

"He was. He is. I hope I never see his wretched face again."

XXXXX

Basketball practice began with a weird start, as Kuroko walked into the locker room to find everyone gathered around Akashi. His brows furrowed as he wondered why Akashi was even allowing everyone to be so close to him. Upon further inspection, he found that he was proudly showing off the sparkly pink nail polish Nina had adorned him with previously. Kagami and Aomine were clearly trying to figure out why Akashi had let someone do this to him. Midorima was more concerned with how the child hadn't died in the process, while Murasakibara lazily ate some chips, bored of the situation. Kise, however, was practically gushing over Akashi's nails, his face inches from his fingertips as he oohed and ahhed over them.

"Ah, Akashi-cchi~ You say Nina did these?"

"Yes. She's practicing to become a 'professional nail do-er.'"

The blonde laughed, nodding. "There's only a few tiny spots she missed. She'll be a pro in no time!"

Kuroko smiled. "I'll tell her you said that, Kise."

Kise beamed as he turned to find Kuroko, pulling him into a one-sided hug. "Kuroko-cchi! I've been texting you all weekend!"

"Eh, sorry. I was kinda busy."

"Busy with your family, or busy with your boytoy?"

"Ryouta."

The blonde cringed and slowly turned to face the redhead, fear already alit in his golden eyes.

"… Please stop asking about our sex lives. I will inform you when we have intercourse."

Kuroko yet again choked on the air he breathed. "Akashi!"

"And Tetsuya, darling, please. Call me Seijuro."

Kuroko's face flushed a deep red, rivaling that of his boyfriend's hair. "S-Sei..juro…?"

Akashi smiled at the sound of his name falling from the bluenette's lips. "Yes, just like that," he said, kissing his cheek. He lingered there for a moment, whispering into his ear, "but louder in the bedroom, okay?"


	12. Chapter 12

Things seemed to be going rather smoothly for Kuroko now that Akashi was always around to help out. There were times when he hated the redhead's help, and others when he would've begged for it if he hadn't already insisted himself. Akashi would wake up earlier than Kuroko every morning to wake the kids and get them ready before heading downstairs to watch Shiiro work his magic. This left Kuroko to wake up whenever he felt like it- usually when the smell of breakfast drifted into his room- and he had plenty of time to do whatever needed to be done before school. If there was one thing he was grateful to Akashi for, it was the happy smiles he saw on his family's faces, though the fact that he now had enough time and sanity to pass his classes was a big plus, as well.

One day, as Kuroko sat down for dinner, taking his usual place next to Nina, Shiiro called to him from over the stove, "Tetsuya, are you friends with everyone on the basketball team?"

"Hm, I'd like to think so. Why?"

The boy turned to bring the completed meal over to the table before answering. "We still haven't really met them. Other than Akashi, we've only seen them on the court."

Kuroko blinked. "Is this another way of you asking if we can have them over for you to feed?"

Shiiro smiled, raising his hands in defeat. "You got me. So can we?"

The bluenette tapped a finger on his bottom lip, contemplating. "I don't see why not. Is that okay with everyone?"

Nina was quick to yell a yes, and Kenchi simply shrugged, leaving Kuroko to look to Akashi.

"Seijuro?"

The redhead jumped slightly. "Oh, uh, I wasn't aware I was a part of this conversation."

Kuroko smiled softly, a light blush already tinting his cheeks. "Well you live here now, so… We wouldn't want to disturb you with any unwanted company."

Akashi blinked before smiling. "Whatever makes you happy, Tetsuya."

"Great," Shiiro said, "so you can invite them over tomorrow, yes?"

XXXXX

After dinner, Nina went to take a shower, whilst Shiiro and Kenchi went upstairs to work on their homework, leaving Akashi and Kuroko alone in the kitchen.

"Seijuro, do you think they'll come?"

Akashi blinked, surprised by the nervous tone in Kuroko's voice. "I'm sure of it."

The bluenette shot him a knowing look, shaking his head. "You are not allowed to influence their decision."

This made Akashi scoff in mock offense. "How could I influence their decision?"

"You know how, and you are not to do it."

The redhead's lips fell into a pout. "Fine. But I think they'll come, really."

Kuroko smiled before noticing a picture on the refrigerator. He slowly stood and walked over to it, carefully plucking it from beneath the magnet holding it in place. His fingers slowly grazed over the woman figure before his hands began to tremble.

Akashi silently made his way over to his boyfriend, realizing that the picture in his hands was the same one that had been under his bed. "Is that the only picture of her?"

Kuroko exhaled a shaky breath. "Yes… Nina must have seen it yesterday when she came in my room…"

The redhead frowned, taking Kuroko's hands in his own. "I'm sorry."

Kuroko shook his head, slowly at first, then vigorously. "No need to be sorry. I should've given her this picture a long time ago."

"… But then you wouldn't have one?"

Kuroko smiled, and it made Akashi's hair stand on end. It was small, but it was full of pain and… resentment? "My memory of her is very clear. Nina's the one that needs this…"

Akashi followed as Kuroko made his way upstairs and to Nina's room. He turned to the redhead, his finger on his lips. "Shh, Nina doesn't like people in her room without her permission." Akashi nodded and watched as the bluenette carefully, as if he was spy or something, moved into the room, placing the picture on the little girl's bed. His fingers ran across the figure one last time before he sprinted out of the room, pulling Akashi back downstairs with him.

Only a few minutes later did Nina emerge from her shower, sleepily heading into her room. When she saw the picture atop her bed, she initially became upset that someone was in her room. But when she realized what Kuroko had meant by putting it here, she smiled, tears surfacing in her eyes as she clutched it close to her heart.

XXXXX

The next day, when lunch came around, Akashi waited until everyone was sat at the table with their food before calling their attention.

"Excuse me, but Tetsuya has something to ask you all."

All eyes fell on the bluenette, and he coughed nervously. "Eh, so it may be weird, and you certainly don't have to do it, but my brother Shiiro was wondering if you all would like to come over tonight for dinner."

Murasakibara was the first to reply, "Will there be sweets?"

"I'll make sure of it."

"Then I'll be there, Kuro-chin."

Aomine's brows furrowed slightly. "Why does your brother want us to come over?"

"Well, he said it's because he wants to meet you all, but it's mostly because he likes showing off his cooking abilities."

Kise squealed in delight, clapping his hands excitedly. "Yes~ We'll be there!"

"Oi, Ryouta, I didn't say-"

"Shut up, Daiki, you know you were going to say yes."

Kuroko smiled at the two before turning his gaze to Midorima and Kagami.

The green haired boy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Oha Asa did say that today was a good day to try new things and meet new people."

Kagami stared at Midorima like he was insane for a moment before shaking himself from his stupor. "Well you know I'm always up for food!"

Akashi smiled, elbowing his lover in the side. "See, I told you."

Kuroko rolled his eyes, returning the gesture. "Shut up."

"Are you mad because I'm absolute?"

"Absolutely a pain in the ass."

Kagami and Aomine both snickered to themselves at the comment, trying not to make too much noise as Akashi glared at them.

"Taiga, Daiki, is something funny?"

Kuroko sighed. "Relax, Sei. Nina will take care of them tonight."

Both boys stopped laughing as confusion enveloped their features.

"What do you mean by that?" Kagami asked, and Kuroko merely shrugged as a smile played on his lips.

"Oh nothing~"

XXXXX

After practice, everyone followed Kuroko home, and just as they were getting close, their previously light conversation took a slight change.

Kagami frowned as he took in his surroundings. "Kuroko… This is the way to your home?"

"Yes."

Aomine grunted. "Do you live on the other side of this place?"

"Not exactly."

Kise's eyes shifted around, nervous and unsure. "Kuroko-cchi, do you live in this neighborhood?"

Kuroko sighed. "It's not as bad as you think."

"What are you talking about?" Kagami exclaimed, "This is the worst part of town. This is where people get shot for wearing some psycho's least favorite colour!"

"That only happened once."

Akashi blinked. He'd actually never noticed the kind of neighborhood Kuroko lived in. He was so entirely focused on the bluenette and his family, he hadn't even thought to pay attention outside the home. But now that he looked, he understood the others' concerns. There were littered beer bottles all along the road, houses torn apart by bullets, and even some familiar hateful faces eyeing them as they walked along.

"I know him."

Kuroko blinked and looked to where Akashi was staring. He nodded. "Yes, he went to school with us for a while."

"Hanamiya…"

Kise shuddered. "I hated that guy. And he lives over here?"

Kuroko nodded again. "His family is poor, since his father is a drunk. He spent all of his family's money on liquor."

"How do you know that, Tetsu?"

"He was friends with my father. Though Hanamiya refuses to talk to me, or even look me in the eye now, we've been under the same room a fair amount of times."

The conversation ended then as Kuroko turned to walk up his steps. "This is it. It's kind of a mess, so please excuse that."

Everyone waited anxiously as the bluenette opened the door and walked in. They all seemed to be waiting to find an absolute dump of a place, with holes in the walls and maybe even evidence of the door being broken down in the past, but that image was nowhere to be found. And that mess Kuroko had mentioned? It was hardly a mess at all. Instead, they found a small, somewhat shabby home, with duct tape holding the ceiling fan together and a couple of cigarette burns on the sofa. The wallpaper was peeling in places, and the floorboards creaked, but all in all it was a lovely home.

"Kuroko-cchi.. Your place is rather nice~"

Kuroko smiled softly, sheepishly. "Well it's, all we have…"

Shiiro rushed down the stairs then, eyes wide. "I thought practice would take longer," he said, "I haven't quite started cooking yet."

Akashi waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine, Shiiro. Why don't you relax and get to know everyone a little before starting? Oh, and, bring the others down, will you?"

Shiiro simply nodded before running back up the stairs. Kagami stared wide eyed at the redhead.

"You act like you live here or something!"

Akashi nodded. "I do."

The room fell silent, and everyone slowly turned their gaze to Kuroko for confirmation. The bluenette refused to look them in the eye, but nodded. "It's true."

"…Kuroko-cchi and Akashi-cchi are practically married!"

Kuroko's eyes grew wide as he shook his head, a laugh on his lips. "Oh no, we just started dating, Kise. Don't even start with the marriage shit."

The blonde pouted. "Aw, come on~"

XXXXX

After dinner, everyone lounged about in the main room, with Kuroko and his brothers on the sofa, Akashi sitting directly in front of his lover, and everyone else lying in random positions on the floor. Nina and Kise were having a blast as the others talked, because Akashi had ordered Kagami and Aomine to do whatever the child wanted them to do. So of course Kagami was having tea with the blonde as he wore his pretty purple sunhat, and Aomine was reluctantly getting his nails done. He had to hand it to the little girl though, she knew his colour. But he would never admit that aloud, just as Kagami would never admit to how much fun it was pretending he was a carefree child again.

Murasakibara chomped away on some brownies Shiiro and Akashi had made, going on and on about how delicious they were as Shiiro took all the credit- as instructed by the redhead himself.

Midorima was in a deep conversation with Kenchi regarding chemistry and physics and the like, and though Kenchi's grammar had initially put him off, he was rather intrigued by the genius of the boy.

Kuroko smiled as he looked around the room, a feeling of utter peace enveloping him completely. He tapped Akashi's shoulder lightly, and the redhead tilted his head back into his lap to smile up at him curiously.

"We should do this more often."


	13. Chapter 13

The next day, as Akashi was watching Shiiro cook from the table, Kuroko slumped down the stairs, his eyes glazed over. The redhead instantly knew something was wrong, and he rushed to Kuroko's aid.

"Tetsuya? What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?"

The bluenette shook his head, his face scrunching up in pain as he rubbed at his eye. "I think I have the stomach flu…"

Akashi frowned, patting his hair. "What are you doing up then? Go back to bed."

"But school-"

"Is not as important as your health. Go back to bed."

Kuroko opened his mouth to argue, but quickly clamped it shut as bile began to rise up in his throat, and he sprinted back up the stairs to the bathroom. Akashi sighed, turning to Shiiro. "Does Tetsuya get sick often?"

Shiiro shook his head. "No, only once or twice a year. He'll be fine by tomorrow. He just needs rest."

Akashi nodded, looking back up the stairs in concern. A moment later, Kenchi came down, heading straight to Akashi.

"Hey, I heard Tetsuya's sick." The redhead nodded solemnly. "Well that sucks, he was supposed to take us to get some groceries today after school."

Akashi's brows furrowed slightly. "With his own money?"

Kenchi laughed softly. "Nah, with mine and Shiiro's. We tutor people sometimes for extra cash."

"I see… And you can't go get the groceries by yourself because…?"

"… He didn't tell you?"

Akashi blinked, tilting his head. "Tell me what?"

"Eh, it's nothing. I'm sure it just slipped his mind. It doesn't matter anyway. But, would you mind taking us instead?"

The redhead was silent, blankly staring into Kenchi's eyes for a long while. "I thought you disliked me."

Kenchi shrugged. "It's not dislike, it's being wary. I just don't want you to hurt my brother."

Akashi nodded. "Well in that case, of course I'll take you."

"Great. We'll meet you at the gym after your practice."

XXXXX

"Aka-chin, where's Kuro-chin?"

"He's out sick today."

Kise frowned. "Aww, I wanted to see Kuroko-cchi~"

Aomine rolled his eyes, shoving a ball into the blonde's chest. "You always want to see Tetsu."

"Well I see _you_ all the time," he retorted, poking his tongue out at the tan male.

Akashi snapped his fingers, and everyone's eyes fell upon him, their tongues still behind their lips. "Tetsuya is sick, so I'm not in the mood for joking around today. Fifteen laps. Full court passing, 2-3 zone offense, and fast break drills. Followed by ten more laps. Get to work."

Aomine groaned. "That's the downside of Akashi's bias toward Tetsu. When he's not here, the rest of us suffer…"

XXXXX

Kenchi and Shiiro arrived at the gym just as everyone finished their laps. They watched as the team collectively doubled over, sweating and panting heavily. Akashi saw the two from the corner of his eye and stood in the center of everyone.

"I must be going now… Once you've caught your breath, practice your own special skills for an additional ten minutes. Then you may leave."

Kagami scoffed as Akashi went to the locker room to change. "How is he going to know if we do it?"

"I'll know, Taiga."

"Ehh, how did he hear me?"

Midorima sighed. "Idiot, he doesn't have to hear you. He knows what you're thinking."

Once Akashi had changed, he went back out to meet up with Kenchi and Shiiro, who were watching the others practice in awe.

"Hey, are you ready to go?"

The boys nodded, and they made their way out.

It didn't take long for them to get what they needed. They only had so much money anyway, and though Akashi had offered to pitch in, they had insisted on only using their own. "Besides," Shiiro said, "this is all we need anyway."

"Yeah, what's the point in buying unnecessary shit?" Kenchi asked.

Akashi smiled at the two. They were rather mature for their age. He figured they'd learned from Kuroko. Who else would've taught them?

As they passed by Maji Burger, Akashi stopped. "Hm, I think I'll get Tetsuya a milkshake. That should make him feel better, don't you think?"

Kenchi merely shrugged apathetically whilst Shiiro smiled at him. "Yes, I think he would like that."

Akashi nodded and went inside, leaving the other boys leaning against the wall outside the door.

"Shiiro, you know Tetsuya can't eat or drink anything when he's sick."

"Yes, but he also recovers quickly. Maybe he'll be better by the time we get home."

Kenchi opened his mouth to reply when someone caught his eye. His heart beat a little faster as his eyes widened, and he elbowed his brother in the ribs. "Shiiro, I think we should leave."

"We can't leave. We're waiting on Akashi."

"But… Shiiro-"

Shiiro finally followed Kenchi's line of vision, and his eyes fell upon a familiar face he did not want to see. "Shit."

"I'll go get him," Kenchi said as he ran inside.

Shiiro gulped, frozen in place the man walked over to him. He wore a large smile, but his steps were uneven, and Shiiro could smell the stench of liquor on him before he was even close enough to touch.

"Shiiro! My boy! How are ya?" Shiiro shrunk away from his touch as he attempted a hug, making him frown. "Ah, don't be like that."

"You're not supposed to be talking to me…"

The man grinned. "No, they never said anything about talking, son."

Shiiro flinched. "I'm not your son…"

The man's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Shiiro felt like a bug in a spider's web. "You are my son, and that's why this whole fucking thing is ridiculous. Now, let's go home." He reached out to grab Shiiro's arm, but the boy barely evaded his grasp, making him even angrier.

"Shiiro, don't make me do this."

Shiiro was silent, and he closed his eyes, waiting for the impact that soon came as the man's dirtied fist collided with his face. Once, then twice, then three times, and then Shiiro was on the ground, curled into a ball, as the man kicked him as hard as he could- granted it wasn't that hard, as he could barely control his body in his drunken state. Before he could land another blow, Akashi was there, his hands gripped tightly around the man's shoulders. He forced him away but refused to loosen his grip as the man struggled.

"Who the hell are you?"

The man smirked, "Kuroko *Takeo. What's it to ya?"

Akashi's world went blank for a moment as he stared at this man. This man that had just been beating Shiiro, a fourteen year old boy, in the middle of the street. And his name was _Kuroko Takeo_. The redhead slowly turned his head to Kenchi, who was cradling his brother protectively whilst shooting a threatening glare to the man.

"Kenchi, who is this man to you?"

"He's no one. But we once called him father."

And that was enough for Akashi. He didn't remember it. In fact, he didn't snap out of his trance until just before Kenchi opened the door for him as he carried Shiiro in his arms. But he had beaten the living shit out of that man, until he was unconscious on the street.

Kuroko had been making tea when the boys came in, and he rushed over frantically when he caught sight of Shiiro.

"What happened?" he asked, lightly fingering the bruise around his eye.

"We ran into someone," Kenchi said. "I'll get some ice."

Kuroko turned his confused and worried stare to Akashi, searching for answers.

"Kuroko Takeo…"

And the bluenette's blood went cold as his hands shook at his sides. "He did this to you, Shiiro? Did you call the police?"

"Akashi destroyed him," Kenchi answered, returning with a bag of ice.

"You did?"

The redhead shrugged. "I don't know, I blacked out."

Kenchi laughed, shaking his head. "Man it was great. Akashi did what all of us have always wanted to. The old fart was drooling on the cement when we left him."

Kuroko's mind was all over the place, and it took him a while to understand what they were saying. "But.. did you call the cops?"

"No. Do we need to?" Kenchi asked.

The bluenette laughed hysterically for a moment, and Akashi became more worried for him than Shiiro. "Yeah, probably, considering he just violated your restraining order!"

Akashi blinked. "Restraining order?"

Kuroko sighed, letting his head fall onto Akashi's shoulder, face first. "Yes," came the muffled reply, "When we kicked him out, the boys had restraining orders filed."

"… So he's, hurt you guys before."

Kenchi nodded, watching as Shiiro desperately tried to stay conscious and hold back the tears. "Of course. Many times. And the first time he sees us in a year, he does it again. In public, no less."

Kuroko groaned. "I hate him!"

Kenchi made his way over to his brother, pulling him away from Akashi so that he could look him in the eye. "We all do, Tetsuya. But get it together. Shiiro may be suffering from shock right now, and we can't afford a hospital."

The bluenette sighed, nodding his head. "You're right. I'm sorry. Okay, Kenchi, elevate his legs. Seijuro, start a fire. I'll go get a blanket to keep him warm."

XXXXX

That night, as Kuroko and Akashi lay in the bluenette's bed, they were both thinking about Shiiro.

"He's going to be okay, right?" Akashi whispered into the darkness. He couldn't see Kuroko or even hear his breathing, but he knew he was awake.

"Yeah. This isn't the first time…"

"… Your father is terrible."

Kuroko laughed humorlessly. "I know. That's kinda why we kicked him out."

Akashi nodded, though Kuroko couldn't see. "I'm glad you did… And now that I know his face, I'll make sure he doesn't come near them ever again."

Kuroko blinked, turning his head to where he knew Akashi was, straining to see through the dark. He sighed as his eyes failed him, but he reached a hand out to lightly stroke the redhead's arm. "I'm glad you were there, Seijuro…"

"Me too…"

*Takeo – Japanese name meaning "valiant male," or _"_ _violent_ /warrior male."


	14. Chapter 14

Over the next two days, Kuroko kept the children home from school. From past incidents with his father, he'd come to realize that he would in fact go as far as finding them in school to get what he wanted. Akashi wanted to stay home with them as well, worried about their situation. What if their father showed up here instead?

"Then we'll kick his ass like we always do," was Kuroko's answer. He then proceeded to shove the redhead out the door. "Just go, we'll be fine."

And on the outside, when Akashi came home in the evenings, it did seem they were doing fine. But Kuroko was falling apart in his mind. Akashi found this out when the bluenette awoke with a start in the middle of the night, and his first reaction to Akashi's concerned voice was to punch him in the face.

"Ow.. Tetsuya, what the hell?"

Kuroko sighed, "I'm sorry. I thought… Never mind, I'm so sorry."

Akashi had turned the light on so he could look into Kuroko's eyes, and he frowned when he found tears streaming down his cheeks. Though Kuroko was silent, he could see his chest rising and falling too rapidly, and he pieced together what was going on.

"Tetsuya… He's not here."

Kuroko let out half a sob before choking it back. It broke Akashi's heart seeing him this way. The strong, independently strong-willed boy seemed more vulnerable and broken than ever, and that wasn't how he was supposed to be.

Akashi wrapped an arm around the smaller male, pulling him into his chest. "It's alright. He won't hurt any of you again."

Kuroko merely buried his head into the redhead's chest, and he could feel the tears as they slid down his body.

Even after they all resumed school, Kuroko tried to put on a brave face, but it was clear to his friends that something was wrong.

As everyone sat around the cafeteria's table, Kagami, being the klutz he was, dropped an empty bottle onto the ground. And though the sound wasn't loud at all, Kuroko jumped a good few inches, ducking his head to hide his face as all eyes found him.

"Tetsu? Are you okay?"

The bluenette simply nodded, but he didn't raise his head. Murasakibara stopped eating for a moment- a rare occurrence for sure- as he looked at Kuroko with slight concern in his eyes. "Kuro-chin? Why are you so paranoid today?"

"Eh, what do you mean, Murasakibara-cchi? It was just one time, he was probably just lost in thought."

"No, this is the fourth time today. I saw him jump in class twice, and then in the hallway, he looked like he was about to cry."

Kuroko's fist clenched around his uniform's pant leg, his teeth grinding together. His eyes darted to the side where Akashi should be, but the redhead had gone to retrieve him another shake. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to drown out the others' prodding words.

When Akashi came back, he saw the state Kuroko was in, and he gently sat the drink before him, only making enough noise for the bluenette to know he was here. In an instant, Kuroko was clung to him, his face buried in his neck as the redhead's eyes widened. Everyone stared at the two, wondering what was going on, until Akashi cleared his throat softly.

"You'll have to excuse Tetsuya's behavior today," he said calmly, and Kuroko relished in the vibrations in the redhead's chest, letting them sooth him. "He has a small fever, and it's affecting his mentality."

Aomine grunted. "If he has a fever, why is he here?"

"He refuses to go home. So just for today, be careful with what you say and do around him."

The others were sure that Akashi wasn't telling them the whole truth, but they wouldn't dare defy him. Though Kagami was itching to say something, he bit back his tongue for Kuroko's sake, watching as the bluenette's breathing gradually slowed to a normal pace.

XXXXX

After practice, Akashi had to practically carry Kuroko all the way home. The boy was barely able to walk, having put a strain on his body with his paranoia throughout the day. The redhead finally got him through the door, only to find a puppy sitting on the other side.

Akashi was clearly confused, but Kuroko perked up instantly, running over to pet the dog as it yelped excitedly.

"Where did you come from, little guy?"

The kids came in then, smiling down at Kuroko and the dog.

"We found him running around outside," Shiiro said, "He doesn't have a collar or anything."

"We thought he'd make you feel better," Kenchi added.

Nina squealed, falling to her knees to join in on the petting. "Isn't he cute, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko beamed up at them, holding the dog to his chest. "I love you guys."

Akashi smiled as he watched them, and he noted how Kuroko's shoulders were finally relaxed, and his eyes shone bright again.

XXXXX

"Tetsuya…"

Kuroko slowly blinked his eyes open, staring at the blurry form of his sister. He lazily turned to find that Akashi was still asleep next to him. "What is it, Nina?"

"Um…" The girl shifted her weight onto her right foot, looking down as she played with her hair. "We're having show and tell today, and I'm bringing the picture of mommy, and I was wondering, um, if you would braid my hair…"

Kuroko blinked at her before smiling softly. "I can do that. Here, sit on the bed." He sat up slowly, so as to not wake the sleeping redhead beside him, as Nina crawled onto the bed, turning her back to him. It took Kuroko a minute to remember how to braid hair, since the last time he'd seen someone do it was seven years ago, but once he began, it was easy enough.

Akashi's eyes fluttered open to see them sitting quietly, Kuroko's fingers busy at work. He kept quiet as he watched, a small smile on his face.

When Kuroko finished, he kissed the top of Nina's head. "There, now you look just like Mother."

The little girl beamed up at him, whispering a thank you before running out of the room. Kuroko smiled after her, then checked the time to find that it was only 6:05. He lay back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling when Akashi rolled over to him.

"She's lucky to have you."

Kuroko's cheeks warmed slightly as he realized Akashi must have been watching the entire time. "Yeah, well… I'm all she's got."

Akashi smiled sadly, nodding. "But you make her life better."

"And that's all that matters."

XXXXX

Later in the day, after basketball practice, Kise strolled over to Kuroko whilst everyone was changing.

"Kuroko-cchi, I'm glad you're feeling better today."

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, me too."

Kagami looked at the two curiously. "Yeah, what was that about though? Akashi said it was some kind of fever."

Kuroko rolled his eyes. "I just didn't get enough sleep, so I was half unconscious all day."

Kise's brows furrowed together, but before he could say anything, Kuroko shot him a pleading look. In that look, there also lay a promise to explain later. So the blonde backed off, going back to his locker.

Akashi strolled in not too long after, kissing Kuroko's head as he passed him. "Remember we play Meijo Academy next week. They're not too good of a team, but don't let your guard down until the last buzzer. Understood?"

Everyone nodded and went back to their own conversations, but Kuroko had zoned out long before Akashi had even arrived. He didn't fully come to until he and the redhead were halfway home.

Akashi could see the consciousness come back into his eyes, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you back now, Tetsuya?"

The bluenette looked around confusedly. "Uh, yeah. Sorry. What were you saying?"

"… I was saying, you seem off lately. And I've proven my point."

Kuroko sighed, nodding as he ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I think, it's because you're around all the time now. Which, I'm not complaining about, not at all. It's just… I have a lot of extra time on my hands now, that I'm not used to."

Akashi nodded, regarding him seriously as he pondered a solution. "You could get a hobby?"

The smaller male laughed. "Basketball is my hobby. I need something to actually _do._ "

"…So get a job."

Kuroko paused for a moment, thinking it over. "Actually, that's a good idea. And I can make more money, so we don't have to rely on you all the time."

"Well, I don't really mind-"

"That's a great idea, Seijuro. Thank you. I'll look into it some more later."

Akashi frowned, realizing that he just told Kuroko to take up something outside of the home, leaving him without the bluenette more often. He shook his head, ridding himself of the thoughts. Kuroko had every right to be outside living his life, even if it was just a job that he didn't need now that Akashi was around. Keeping him locked away in his home all the time would only tear him apart. That is, after all, how he'd spent most of his life.

"You know, Tetsuya, I think I saw a help wanted sign at Maji Burger the other day."

Kuroko turned his bright blue eyes to Akashi, smiling excitedly. "Really? Ah, that'd be great. A familiar place and free milkshakes."

Akashi laughed softly at him, his heart soaring at the bluenette's smile. Maybe he really did need this job. Not for the money, but for his sanity.


	15. Chapter 15

One Saturday afternoon, Kuroko got the idea to go through some of the family's old things, just to see what had been hidden in the upstairs closet, covered in layers of dust for any number of years. Kenchi was reluctant to join, but once he found some of his old things, he was digging through more. Shiiro simply sat back and watched, as did Akashi, whilst Nina played with some toys they'd found.

"Holy shit."

Akashi raised a brow at his boyfriend, watching as he picked up an old tape. Peeking into the box, he saw that it was filled with more tapes, none of them labeled, and his curiosity was piqued.

"What's that?"

Kuroko looked at him with wide eyes, a smile crossing his lips. "These, are our home videos."

Of course, they all immediately ran downstairs, Kuroko popping one of the tapes into their outdated player as everyone sat around. The bluenette excitedly ran back to Akashi's side, allowing the redhead to wrap an arm around him as they turned their attention to the screen.

The first scene was that of a little boy, no more than three years old. He sat atop the kitchen table, eating a cookie, and you could barely see the head of another child running around the table.

"That's Shiiro," Kuroko whispered, his eyes alight as he watched his memories come to life.

" _Shiiro~ How old are you today?"_

 _The little boy smiled as he held up three fingers._

" _Oh, three? Have you had a good birthday?"_

 _Shiiro nodded as a little Kenchi crawled onto the table to sit next to his brother. "S-Shiiro said, that, it was the.. the bestest birth-day he's e-ever had."_

 _Kuroko laughed softly behind the camera. "Is that so?"_

 _Little Shiiro nodded proudly, giving him a thumbs up. "Bestest bi-birthday evers."_

There was static on the screen for a moment before another scene appeared. It was six years later, and Kenchi was the one behind the camera this time. He kept zooming in and out on Kuroko's face as he washed the dishes, and finally the bluenette looked to him, raising a brow.

" _Kenchi, what are you doing?"_

" _Showing the world your weird face."_

 _Kuroko rolled his eyes, bending down slightly to poke his brother in the face._

" _Ow! Tetsuya!"_

 _The bluenette smirked. "What cha gonna do, tell Shiiro?"_

 _Kenchi scoffed, "I might…" making his older brother laugh._

" _Eh, we can't bother Shiiro right now. He's trying to get Nina to sleep."_

" _Tetsuya, do you think Mother's coming back?"_

 _Kuroko paused, looking through his own hands. "Mother's an angel now, Kenchi."_

" _But, do you think she'll come back someday?"_

 _A sigh passed through Kuroko's lips, barely noticeable, but there. "I don't know."_

The scene shifted once more, to that of the four children, one year later, all sitting on the sofa making funny faces into the camera lens.

" _If this was a contest, I'd be winning," Kenchi said, pulling his cheeks apart._

 _Shiiro snorted, crossing his eyes as he stuck his tongue out. "No way, me and Tetsuya are doing way better than you!"_

 _Kuroko laughed, ruffling both of their hair. "Sorry, boys. Looks like Nina's got you beat."_

They all laughed before there was a slamming of the door, and Kuroko's eyes were suddenly sharp and intense as he looked to the doorway.

"… _Shiiro, very slowly, pick Nina up and take her to bed. Make sure she sleeps with you tonight."_

 _Shiiro nodded and did as he was told, absolutely silent._

" _What should I do?" Kenchi whispered._

"… _Follow him. Lock the door behind you."_

Kenchi nodded and left as well, leaving Kuroko alone on the screen. There was a long pause before the sound of feet shuffling into the room was heard, followed by a man's deep, obviously drunken voice.

" _Tetssu..ya. Wha.. What are you d-doing here?"_

 _Kuroko showed no emotion, though his eyes were focused and ready. "You're drunk."_

" _Of c.. course I'm drunk! I h-have to live with.. you shitheads."_

" _If anyone's a shithead here, it's you."_

The man's figure finally came into view, only slightly, and from the waist down, as Kuroko looked up to his face, otherwise not moving an inch.

There was a long pause before the man raised his fist and collided it with Kuroko's face, sending him off the sofa.

" _Listen, b-boy. You live.. in m-my house, you will not.. not dis-respect me!"_

" _Fuck off, old man. We don't want you here anyway."_

The man pulled his knee up to his chest, readying himself to slam it onto Kuroko's body, and that's when Kenchi stopped the tape.

Akashi's blood was boiling, but he made a point of calming himself somewhat before turning to find Kuroko's blank stare. It was clear that he was still reliving that time. Akashi came to the conclusion he'd probably forgotten where he was or what he was doing.

"Tetsuya?"

The bluenette blinked, coming back to his senses as his vision centered on the picture still on the screen. He grimaced. "We should have stopped that sooner."

Kenchi blinked up at him. "Tetsuya… you said he'd passed out immediately."

"He did…"

"Yeah, after he beat you." Kuroko flinched at the words, and Kenchi's eyes softened. "I'm sorry, it's just.. you lied to us. _To protect him."_

"Why did you take it?" Shiiro asked, "If you had yelled for help, we would've been there."

Kenchi scoffed. "If he'd wanted to, he probably could've made it upstairs and locked the door before the fart even remembered how to walk."

Kuroko sighed, running a hand over his face. "I did it for you."

"…What?"

"How so?"

"… Do you remember that time, that first time that he came home drunk with us downstairs, and later he climbed into your window?"

Both boys cringed. Kenchi shook his head, "He beat us hard that night."

Kuroko nodded. "I know, I heard. He nailed my door shut so I couldn't get to you. After that night, I promised myself I'd never let him get to you like that again."

"So you used yourself instead, Tetsuya?" Shiiro whispered. "You provoked him, and let him hurt you, so he wouldn't come find us in the middle of the night?"

"Once he got it out of his system, he'd be out for hours."

The boys fell silent, and Nina turned her innocent gaze to Kuroko. "You're like a hero, Tetsuya."

Kuroko blinked down at her, shaking his head. "No, I'm just your guardian."

Kenchi laughed under his breath, soft and bitter. "I wish you were our guardian. Legally, I mean. Shit, you'd be the greatest parent ever."

Kuroko continued to deny that, even as Shiiro and Kenchi, and sometimes Nina, kept pointing out the things that made him better than anyone else they knew. And Kuroko could deny it all he wanted, but even Akashi could see how right they were. He wasn't exactly perfect, but he'd taken care of his small family probably since they were born, whilst their father only looked for reasons to hurt them.

XXXXX

"So, is there anything else you did for their sake that you're not telling?"

Kuroko glanced at Akashi from the corner of his eye, pulling his sheets up to his neck. The redhead was propped up on the bed by his elbow, watching him with intense curiosity.

"No, it was just that one time."

"That one time that happened repeatedly?"

A sigh fell from his lips. "Yes, that one reoccurring time."

Akashi regarded him carefully before repositioning himself so that he lay flat on his back. "Alright. Goodnight, Tetsuya."

"…Goodnight, Seijuro…"


	16. Chapter 16

"Kuroko-cchi, I'm curious."

Kuroko blinked, looking up from his book to find Kise leaning against his desk.

"Me too. Why are you here?"

The blonde puffed his cheeks out in a pout. "So mean. My teacher got sick, so there's no one to keep us busy. I got bored~"

Kuroko turned his gaze to the busy instructor at the front of the room. It seemed he hadn't even noticed Kise's arrival.

"You're going to get me in trouble," he said before looking back to his book.

Kise sighed dramatically. "Nee, Kuroko-cchi, I just have one itsy bitsy question~"

Kuroko closed his eyes, a sigh falling from his lips as he looked back up to the blonde. "What is it?"

"What does Akashi-cchi taste like?"

The bluenette stared up at him for a long while, his mouth open in a small 'o' form. "W.. What?"

Kise rolled his eyes as if this wasn't surprising at all. "You know~ When you kiss him and stuff."

"Oh.. Oh. Well, we haven't kissed."

"… You haven't kissed yet?"

"No?"

Kise rolled his eyes again, dramatic as ever. "Kuroko-cchi! You've been dating for like, two weeks! How have you not kissed him even once?"

The bluenette shrugged. "I rarely show affection. Seijuro will sometimes hug me, or kiss my cheek as you've seen in the locker room, but he's never tried to kiss me either."

"Ne, you should kiss him. I'm curious~"

"And if I tell him you're curious?"

Kise's eyes widened with fear. "You wouldn't… Oh, please don't, Kuroko-cchi~ He'll kill me for sure!"

Kuroko smiled softly. "If you keep pestering me about it, I'll tell him."

"Ah, you're so mean~! You're perfect for each other!"

"Kise Ryouta. You are not in this class, please take your leave."

The blonde turned his teary face to Kuroko's teacher, bowing in an apology. "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed as he ran out of the room, leaving Kuroko to laugh at him under his breath.

XXXXX

Toward the end of practice that afternoon, Kuroko found his way over to Akashi, the redhead giving him a curious look.

"Is something wrong, Tetsuya?"

"No. I just wanted to let you know that it's parent's night at Nina's school. I was kind of hoping you'd come too."

Akashi blinked, slightly taken aback. "Uh, yeah. I would love to."

"Great. I know she'll love having you there. Oh, and I was also wondering if I could leave a little early today. I was hoping to go by Maji Burger to see about that job on the way home."

Akashi smirked. "Ah, so that's the real reason I was invited. You're trying to soften me up."

Kuroko smiled and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. So is it okay, though?"

"Of course, Tetsuya. You can leave now if you want. We're just going to run a few laps before heading home."

"Thanks," he said, shooting him a quick smile before running to the locker room.

"Nee, why does Kuro-chin get to quit?"

Akashi turned his eyes to Murasakibara, pointing a half glare at the purple headed giant. "Did I tell you to stop, Atsushi?"

XXXXX

Akashi had arrived back at Kuroko's only to find the bluenette pushing him out the door. "We're running late, come on."

The redhead waited as the other children filed out of the house before asking Kuroko, "Did you get the job?"

"Yep, I start tomorrow."

"That's good. Are you sure you're going to be able to handle all of this?"

The bluenette laughed. "I've handled a lot more."

When they got to the school, it was loud and crowded, but the walls were colourfully decorated with children's artwork, and everyone was smiling. The atmosphere was very pleasant, and Kuroko felt like he could finally breathe.

"Alright, Nina, where's your class?"

"This way~" she sang, tugging on his sleeve as she led them down the corridor. She pulled him into a room with less people, as most of them had already come and gone, and her teacher smiled at her from across the room before walking over.

"Nina, who are these people?" he asked kindly, his eyes crinkling as he smiled at them.

"This is Tetsuya, my brother~ And Kenchi, and Shiiro, my other brothers~ And A~ka~shi, Tetsuya's boyfriend~"

The man paused for a moment, obviously having not been expecting the boyfriend bit, but he eventually smiled at both males. "You two look like quite a pair, and I've heard so much about you both."

Akashi arched a brow, looking to Nina as she shied away behind Kuroko's leg. "Is that so?"

"Oh yes, Nina has told me all about the famous Akashi, and the caring Tetsuya. It's all I ever hear from her."

Kuroko smiled down at his sister. "She probably over exaggerates a lot."

The man laughed, "Oh perhaps, but regardless, she loves you both. Oh, but may I ask, where are her parents?"

Kuroko froze, his eyes distant for just a moment, but in that moment, the man saw the pain his words had caused. But Kuroko put on a smile, looking back to him.

"Our mother passed away a long time ago. And our father is away on a business trip."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about your mother. Eh, what kind of business is your father in?"

Kuroko continued to smile, but his family could feel the tension oozing off of him. "It's just another office job, but he's recently been promoted, and so he has to travel more often now."

"Ah, well I've heard so much about yourself, but not nearly as much about your father. I hope to meet him someday."

' _No you don't.'_

"I'm sure you will."

"Tetsuya," Nina said, pulling on his pant leg as he looked down at her, "I wanna show you my drawing!"

Kuroko smiled at her and nodded. "Alright, let's go see it."

The little girl squealed and pulled him away, calling out, "You too, A~ka~shi~" The redhead smiled and followed them, until she pointed out a drawing on the wall. His heart stopped for a moment when he saw it.

On the wall in big letters were the words, 'My Family,' and Nina had drawn herself, Shiiro, Kenchi, Kuroko, and Akashi. There were no names, but he knew it was him, mostly by the shock of red atop his stick figure. At the bottom, she'd added Nigou. And in the corner of the page, at the top, was the kanji for angel.

Kuroko stared at the drawing for a long time before speaking. "Your family is different from all the others," he whispered, looking at all the other pictures of a mother and father, maybe a pet or a sibling. Some even had grandparents. Kuroko paused as he realized he didn't even know who his grandparents were.

"I know our family's different," Nina said quietly, catching onto Kuroko's mood, "but that's what makes it so great."

The bluenette smiled as he ruffled her hair. "You're right. Is there anything else you want to show us?"

The little girl beamed up at him, nodding in excitement before running off to grab some more of her work.


	17. Chapter 17

It had been a little over a month since Kuroko and Akashi's relationship had begun, and in that time, the Kuroko residence had a pleasant atmosphere surrounding it, even through the tough times. That is, until Kuroko began feeling suffocated once more, by the redhead's presence. Still, most days, that peaceful aura was there, but when the bluenette snapped, it seemed as if their whole little world had fallen apart.

Most often, when Kuroko would crack, he would blow up in Akashi's face, they'd have a rather loud argument, and Kuroko would lock himself in his room until he calmed down. Then the two would reunite, Kuroko would vaguely apologize, and they'd act as if such an event had never occurred.

Today was not one of those days.

"I don't understand what your fucking problem is! All I did was help Shiiro with dinner, like I _usually_ do!"

Kuroko rolled his eyes before chucking a vase at the redhead's head. He'd barely caught it before it smashed into his face. "You _never_ understand! You don't even try! You just march in here, and do whatever the fuck you want, like you own the place!"

"Well, I may not own it, but I do _live_ here!"

"Yeah, maybe that was a mistake, just like you!"

Akashi groaned and threw the vase back to Kuroko, but the bluenette simply dodged it, letting it crash into the wall behind him. "I was a mistake? I swear, I wish I'd never even met you."

Kuroko laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I wish for that every night before I go to sleep!"

"Fuck you, Tetsuya."

"That was a mistake too. You know what, Akashi, I wish you would just leave."

The redhead smirked, "Well too bad."

Kuroko shook his head, walking over to him. He shoved his hands onto the redhead's shoulders and pushed him all the way to the door. "Just leave. I don't want to ever see your face again!"

Akashi stumbled out of the door, holding his middle finger high in the air as Kuroko slammed the door shut. "You'll regret this, Tetsuya!"

It was four days later when Akashi finally showed his face again, having not been at school either. He showed up at Kuroko's doorstep one night, just after dark. His hair was a mess, he was wearing the same clothes he'd left in, and his eyes were downcast, not to mention bloodshot. Kuroko had been too prideful to look for Akashi himself, but when he saw his appearance, his heart softened drastically, and he helped the boy inside, carrying him to the sofa.

Akashi had passed out almost immediately, but just before unconsciousness overtook him, he let out a small, hoarse whisper, "Miss.. ed y.."

Kuroko had sighed to himself, wiping the locks of red out of his face as he stared at his sleeping form. He knew this was all his fault, and he knew this wouldn't be the last time.

XXXXX

The next day, Akashi had walked to school with Kuroko, smiling at him all the way there. Things seemed to be back to normal, but the bluenette's insides were still churning. He excused himself at lunch to go to the restroom, splashing cold water on his face in hopes that it would calm him down.

Kise followed after him, worried for his friend. "Ne, Kuroko-cchi, what's wrong?"

The smaller male sighed, turning to face the blonde fully. "How do you do it?"

The blonde's brows furrowed, curiously confused. "Do what?"

"Have the perfect relationship. You and Aomine always seem so happy together."

Kise smiled, shaking his head. "We are happy, but we're not perfect. We have our moments just like everyone else."

"Really? Do you guys fight a lot?"

Kise turned his gaze to the sky in thought. "Well, not _a lot_ , but when we do, it's pretty intense. Are you and Akashi-cchi fighting?"

Kuroko sighed heavily, leaning against the bathroom wall. "It's mostly me. I just lose my mind sometimes…"

"Is that why he wasn't here the last few days?"

He nodded. "Shit, I told you, I always mess things up."

Kise was silent for a moment, contemplating. "Kuroko-cchi. It's normal for couples to fight. And you two, you're alike in some ways, but polar opposites in many others. There's bound to be tension. I have a suggestion, only for you, so that maybe you can see how natural that tension is."

Kuroko blinked, curious. "Okay…?"

"How about, the next time Daiki-cchi and I get into a fight, I'll call you. He won't know, obviously, but you can listen in and see what I mean."

Kuroko nodded slowly. "Alright. And that'll prove it's natural?"

"If that doesn't, I don't know what will."

XXXXX

So another week went by, and Kise hadn't called even once. This made Kuroko rethink the whole possibility of his relationship's tension being natural. Of course, this just set him more on edge, and it wasn't long before he and Akashi were at it again.

"Why the hell are you even still here? I fucking hate you!"

Akashi sighed, finally throwing out all sense and rationality he'd worked so hard to keep in this argument. "If you hate me so much, why do you _beg_ me to stay with you every night?"

"I do not!"

"Yes, you do, in your sleep."

"You're fucking crazy."

The redhead groaned, grabbing at his hair. "No, Tetsuya, you're insane! I knew you were bipolar, but holy shit, you're _legitimately insane_!"

"Why the hell are you here?"

"I'll just leave, if it'll make you stop talking!"

"Good, get out!"

The redhead paused, his sense somewhat coming back to him. "Tetsuya, I'm not really leaving. It's negative twenty degrees outside."

"I don't care, get out."

Akashi stared at him with wide eyes, and he realized then, he wasn't even sure who this man was. "Did you not hear me? It's the coldest night of winter so far!"

"Good, it'll match your heart. Get the fuck out of my house!"

The redhead groaned and turned to leave, storming out with a last, "Go to hell!"

"Living with you _is_ hell!"

Once Akashi was gone, and the walls had stopped shaking from his slamming the door, Kuroko had headed straight to his room where he reached under his bed, and pulled out a large bottle of whiskey. He didn't quite remember how long it had been under there, but it certainly hadn't been touched in a while. He sighed as he unscrewed the cap and put the bottle to his lips.

An hour later, Kenchi and Shiiro realized they still hadn't heard from their brother, so they headed to his room to check on him. They found him lying upside down off the side of his bed, the half empty bottle sitting beside his head. His eyes were glazed, and his movements were sluggish as he turned his head to look at them.

"H-Heyy, guys."

Shiiro sighed and went to help his brother sit up, whilst Kenchi stared at him from the end of the bed.

"What the fuck are you doing, Tetsuya?"

The bluenette turned his doll-like gaze to Kenchi, a small smile on his lips. "J-just dr-drinking. What're.. you do..ng?"

Kenchi sighed, closing his eyes. "Shiiro, hide the whiskey." He heard Shiiro do as he was told, picking up the bottle and heading downstairs. Kuroko watched with sad eyes as his youngest brother left. "Tetsuya," Kenchi continued, opening his eyes again, "call your boyfriend."

Kuroko laughed softly, giddily, as he swayed where he sat. "I have a boyfriend?"

"Fuck, you're really messed up, aren't you?"

His only response was another giddy laugh. He sighed, grabbing Kuroko's phone from the nightstand. Akashi's number was the first on the list, and he quickly hit the call button, pulling the phone to his ear.

Kuroko leaned in close to him, almost falling face first as he whispered, "Who're y callin?"

Kenchi merely ignored him as a man picked up the phone, but it wasn't Akashi. "Uh, is Akashi there?"

" _The redhead punk with a loud mouth? Nahh, he just left with some chick."_

Kenchi froze for a moment, looking down at his brother's drunken smile. "If he comes back for his phone, tell him Kenchi called," he said, promptly hanging up. He thumbed through the contacts for another moment before finding Kise's number. He quickly called him, waiting impatiently for the blonde to answer.

"Kuroko-cchi?"

"Not quite. It's Kenchi. Can you come over?"

"…I'll be right there."

It wasn't long before Kise showed up, his golden eyes filled with worry as Kenchi led him upstairs. His eyes widened as he found the bluenette sprawled out on the floor, wearing nothing but boxers.

Kenchi sighed. "Tetsuya, I told you to keep your clothes on."

"It's soo hottt," he whined, fiddling with the waistband of his boxers, but Kenchi came over and pulled his hands away.

"Keep your clothes on. You're going to get sick."

Kise frowned as he sat beside his friend. "Kuroko-cchi? How much did you have to drink?"

Kuroko smiled dazedly up at the blonde, plopping his head into his lap. "This much!" he yelled, holding his index finger and thumb up, four inches apart. The blonde's brows furrowed as he turned his gaze to Kenchi.

"Half a liter."

"…Kuroko-cchi, that's a lot."

The bluenette simply giggled, rolling off of his friend and under the bed. Kenchi sighed. "Kise, can I talk to you?"

The blonde blinked but nodded, following him out into the hallway.

"What is it, Kenchi-cchi?"

He sighed, glancing back into the room where his brother was coughing on the dust beneath his bed. "He and Akashi had a pretty big fight again."

"I figured as much."

He nodded. "Well, Tetsuya kicked him out. And when I saw him like this, I called Akashi before I called you."

The blonde nodded. "So, where is he?"

"That's the thing. He didn't answer. But someone else did."

Kise frowned, his brows knitting together. "Someone else had his phone?"

Kenchi nodded. "I'm guessing he'd gone to a bar. The shitty music in the background sounded like the one that's just a couple of blocks away. The man said he'd left with some girl…"

Kise paused, finally seeing where this was going. "You don't think…"

Kenchi shrugged. "I don't know what to think. Tetsuya told him he never wanted to see his face again, but we both know he didn't mean that."

"…If he was upset about Akashi-cchi having sex with someone else before they were even together…"

"He's going to flip if I'm right about this time…"

XXXXX

The next day, Kuroko awoke with a smashing headache and cotton-dry mouth. He groaned as he stumbled down the stairs, fixing himself a glass of water and downing it as fast as he could.

Kise followed after him, having been sleeping on the floor of his room all night to make sure he didn't choke on his own vomit in his sleep. "Kuroko-cchi?"

The bluenette jumped, sighing as he realized it was just the blonde. "Shit, Kise… Wait, why are you here?"

"Kenchi-cchi called me last night… How are you feeling?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Terrible. Physically and emotionally."

"Do you remember what you said to Akashi-cchi yesterday?"

Kuroko arched a brow at him, noting the cautious tone in his voice. "Yeah? Why?"

Kise sighed, fiddling with his fingers as he avoided eye contact. "Well, Kenchi-cchi called him last night…"

"And?"

"And, someone else answered…"

Kuroko paused, trying to wrap his head around the blonde's words. "Okay. Who was it?"

"Some guy, Kenchi-cchi thinks he was from the bar."

Kuroko nodded, though the movement hurt his head. "Okay…?"

Kise sighed, finally looking into the bluenette's matching eyes, and Kuroko's heart stopped at the look in his golden eyes. "We're not entirely sure, Kuroko-cchi, so don't freak out, but…"

"Shit. He left with someone, didn't he?"

He nodded, slowly. "A girl…"

Kuroko laughed, loudly, but it was humorless and strained, and it only made him seem more broken.

"Kuroko-cchi, I can talk to him-"

"No, that's okay. I'll talk to him myself. Later. I'm not going to school today."

The blonde's brows furrowed slightly. "Because of Akashi-cchi?"

"Because of my hangover. I'll see you tomorrow, Kise," he said, darting past the blonde and to his room.

Kise sighed as he watched him go, his heart clenching in his chest. Kuroko might have been a bitch sometimes, but he already dealt with so much pain. Kise didn't think he deserved any more.

XXXXX

So Kuroko lay in his bed all day, staring at the ceiling as his thoughts and feelings fell over one another. In the end, he hadn't been able to stay away any longer, and he left his house just as school was ending.

He arrived at the gym moments before practice was about to begin, and as he peered through the doorway, he caught sight of Akashi- talking to a gorgeous blonde girl. The redhead said one last thing to her before sending her off with a small smile. Kuroko waited just outside until she walked through the door.

"Hey, are you the bitch Seijuro picked up last night?"

The girl turned her startled green eyes to Kuroko, blinking at him. "Oh, are you Tetsuya?"

The bluenette's brows furrowed. "Yeah, what's it to you?"

The girl smiled warmly, and it angered Kuroko to the point his vision began to turn red at the edges. "I'm Kamiko. Yes, technically, I am the bitch you seek, but let me tell you something first."

Kuroko stared at her confusedly, prompting her to go on.

"He was drunk off his fine piece of ass, and I still couldn't get him to even kiss me. Or shift his eyes anywhere from my own. In the end, I gave up, and I brought him to my place so he could sleep it off without getting assaulted in that bar."

"…You mean, he rejected you?"

Kamiko laughed, gesturing to her rather perfect body. "Right? I couldn't believe it either. At first I was angry, but then, he told me about Tetsuya. His crazy boyfriend that he wouldn't trade for the world."

Kuroko didn't even notice the tears as they slowly streamed out of his eyes, and Kamiko continued to smile warmly at him.

"You've got a good man there, Tetsuya."

Kuroko nodded. "I know…"

He didn't wait another second, didn't even thank the girl, as he ran into the room, heading straight for Akashi. He was almost hit by the ball twice, and he almost ran straight into Kagami, but he never stopped running until he'd fallen into the redhead's arms. Still crying, he turned his blue eyes to Akashi's, and whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Akashi smiled softly at him, wiping his tears away. "It's okay, I know you're crazy."

A small laugh escaped the bluenette's throat before he eagerly pressed his lips to Akashi's, and he closed his eyes, feeling the redhead relax around him.


	18. Chapter 18

**(((Omg guys, we're nearing the end of this story... After this, only two more chapters left. *sigh* So I just wanted to thank you all now, for reading this shyzz that somehow came out of my head. You have no idea how much it means to me, and I love you all. *probably too emotional for my own good***

 **Alright, sorry- enjoy this rather short chapter, I guess *heart*)))**

* * *

"Seijuro?"

"Hm?"

"What did you mean by I was your best bet?"

The redhead glanced up from the book he'd been reading, smiling softly at the curious look on Kuroko's face. "Well, you were the only person I could even see myself with."

"Like, sexually?"

"Yes."

"But.. you had sex with that girl."

Akashi sighed, putting the book down as he turned to face the bluenette directly. "Yes, but I had to be drunk to do so. And the entire time, I pretended it was you."

Kuroko blushed softly, but he found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from Akashi's intense stare. "You're horny aren't you."

The redhead smirked. "How did you know?"

"Your eyes."

Akashi grinned, and there was a kind of wickedness in that smile. It set Kuroko on edge, tore at his insides, but he didn't complain. Akashi crawled over to him, kissing at the nape of his neck softly.

"You're not objecting, Tetsuya…"

The bluenette shrugged, feeling his heart racing within his chest. "Maybe I want it too…"

Akashi smiled, biting his skin and eliciting a well-drawn out moan. "You've been rather sensitive lately," he said, his breath sending chills down his lover's spine, "Could it be that you have some tension built up?"

Kuroko opened his mouth to deny the fact, but was easily cut off as Akashi palmed the growing bulge between his legs. "Hnngh.. S-Sei…"

The redhead eagerly crashed his lips onto Kuroko's, kissing him until he was sure his lips would be as blue as his hair. He pulled back, licking his lips as Kuroko's eyes glazed over. "If you wanted sex, you could've just said so."

"Oh you mean like you do?"

He smiled, nodding. "Fair point. From now on, we'll be forward about it, then."

Kuroko didn't quite like the way he worded that, but his thoughts died immediately as Akashi pressed his thigh against his member, the friction causing his eyes to roll back as he involuntarily thrusted into his touch.

XXXXX

Kuroko was flushing madly when he came downstairs an hour later. Kenchi and Shiiro both looked at him with questioning eyes whilst Nina continued to draw at the table.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Kuroko looked down at himself, noting that his clothes were falling off of his body, and his hair probably looked a mess. "Uh.." he glanced to Nina before looking back to his brothers. "You don't want to know."

Akashi, on the other hand, came sauntering down the stairs with a smug smirk on his lips. He kissed Kuroko's hair before making himself a cup of tea.

"Oi, what'd you do to Tetsuya?" Kenchi asked.

His smirk only grew. "I can't tell you. Very detailed. Would have to show you."

Kenchi's face paled at the thought, and he quickly waved his hands in surrender. "No thank you! Do whatever you want to him, but don't touch me."

Akashi laughed as Kuroko's blush deepened. Shiiro smiled at them in silence before going to start a fire.

It was then that Kuroko's phone began to ring, and he confusedly pulled it out of his pocket to find Kise's name scrawled on the screen. Curious, he answered the device, pulling it to his ear.

"Hello? …Kise?"

He listened intently as he began to distinguish voices in the background. He then remembered what Kise had said about calling him the next time he and Aomine had a fight. He stood eerily still, focusing on the voices on the other end.

" _I don't know what the hell you want, Ryouta!"_

" _Of course not, you're too_ stupid _to know anything!"_

Kuroko could hear Aomine scoff at his boyfriend, and he could picture his face darkening as he spoke. _"The only stupid thing I've ever done is you!"_

Kise laughed. _"Yeah? Right back at you. Seriously, Daiki, you are the_ worst _kind of person in the world."_

" _Me? I do everything you want me to. I even listen to you drag_ on and on _about your precious modeling~"_

" _It's a real career!"_

" _You dress up in fancy clothes and let people take fucking pictures of your narcissistic ass!"_

Kise laughed again, his voice getting farther from the phone as he paced around his home. _"Wow, big word, how many times did someone have to use it on you before you realized what it meant?"_

Aomine groaned, long and loud. _"I hate you so much!"_

" _Not as much as I hate you!"_

And then there was a loud thud, and the sound of glass shattering. Then silence.

" _Shit, I'm sorry, Ryouta…"_

" _Don't fucking touch me."_

Kuroko felt his blood run cold as he pieced together what had just happened. That thud was not an ordinary thud. Aomine had thrown Kise into something.

"… _Ryouta, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just got so angry…"_

" _It's fine, Daiki. Just, don't touch me right now."_

There was a sigh from the tan man _. "…Is your phone on?"_

" _Why the hell would my phone be on?"_

Kuroko heard the man's footsteps as he walked over to where the phone lay. There was a shuffling noise before he spoke into the line, and Kuroko held his breath, not wanting to get the blonde into any more trouble.

" _Tetsu? …Hello? Hm, guess he's not there."_

 _*Click*_

Kuroko slowly pulled the phone away from his ear, his eyes wide as he turned to look at Akashi. The redhead frowned, walking over to him. "What's wrong?"

"… Seijuro, what would you do if you found out one of your friends was hurting your other friend?"

Akashi's brows furrowed until a certain clarity rose in his eyes. "He hurt him again, didn't he?"

Kuroko blinked up at him, confused. "You knew?"

The redhead shrugged, a sigh on his lips. "I was there once. Daiki has a temper. But so does Ryouta."

"Wh.. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that they're perfect for each other in more ways than you think. Ryouta may seem innocent, but he's put Daiki in the hospital before. They don't fight often, but when they do-"

"It's intense…"

Akashi nodded, frowning at Kuroko's downcast gaze. "Tetsuya, I know it's bothering you, but don't let it. Okay? They'll be fine. They always are."

Kuroko nodded, but he felt himself going numb. Akashi noticed this, having seen it enough times to recognize the signs now, and he wrapped an arm around the bluenette's shoulder, pulling him close.

"Hey, let's go sit by the fire, okay?"

XXXXX

It wasn't long before Kuroko had forgotten his eavesdropping, and he was laughing along with his siblings as they sat around the fire, telling stupid stories about their stupid lives whilst Akashi was in the kitchen. When the redhead came back, he held a tray in his hands, carrying five mugs of hot chocolate and a bag of marshmallows.

"I couldn't find anything to use for roasting the marshmallows, but we can still eat them, right?"

Kuroko smiled up at his boyfriend as he took his mug and the whole bag of marshmallows. "Thanks, Sei."

"Oi, you can't hog all the food!" Kenchi yelled, which just made Kuroko poke his tongue out at him as he clung to the bag.

"Tetsuya~" Nina sang, "Can we get the tents out?"

Kuroko pondered for a moment, the thought distracting him enough for Kenchi to snatch the marshmallows and offer some to Shiiro. "Hm, we could go camping~"

Nina nodded, her smile wide and her eyes bright. "Can we~?"

Kuroko smiled. "Alright, Seijuro and I will go get the tents."

"When did I say I would do such a thing?"

Kuroko shot a dangerous smile toward the redhead as he stepped up to him, pulling him in close by his shirt collar. "If you do this for me, I'll do something for you~ You know, that _thing_ we talked about earlier?"

Akashi's eyes widened, and he suddenly darted toward the stairs, stumbling over his own feet as he desperately tried to complete the task as fast as he could.

Kenchi stared at his brother with wide eyes. "You whore."

Kuroko poked his tongue out again, shooting him a wink. "At least I can get some."

Shiiro sighed. "Nina is right here guys."

The little girl giggled. "I don't know what we're talking about~"

Kuroko laughed, "See, she doesn't know what we're talking about."

XXXXX

Four hours later, Kenchi and Shiiro were asleep in one tent, and Nina was cuddled between Kuroko and Akashi as the two watched the fire from inside theirs.

"You have a nice family, Tetsuya."

Kuroko smiled, looking down at his sleeping sister's face. "I know. I don't deserve them."

"On the contrary. I think you all deserve one another."

The bluenette turned his smile to Akashi, and the redhead leaned in to plant a small kiss on his lips.

"… So, did you really mean it? About that, thing?"

A smirk found its way to Kuroko's lips as he turned back to the fire. "I did~"

Akashi nodded, excitement rising in his veins- and somewhere else.


	19. Chapter 19

"Kenchi, where's my toothbrush?"

"How the hell should I know?"

Kuroko sighed, running a hand over his face. "How do you lose a fucking toothbrush? I don't know, but I did it."

Akashi stood in the doorway of their bedroom, arching a brow as the bluenette mumbled to himself. "What's wrong with you?"

"What isn't wrong with me? I woke up late, Nigou doesn't have any food, I can't find my toothbrush, and I have work in fifteen minutes!"

Akashi blinked, his crimson eyes shifting to the mop atop Kuroko's head. "I'd be more concerned with finding an actual brush, if I were you."

Kuroko groaned as he raced to the bathroom to do just that. Akashi followed him slowly, so as to make sure he gave him a little space. He'd learned by now that that was Kuroko's main trigger to his episodes of cruelty.

"I can get some dog food whilst you're at work."

Kuroko heaved a sigh in relief. "Fuck, please, I will love you forever."

The redhead blushed slightly at the words, having not heard them before, but Kuroko didn't seem to notice.

"And if anyone gives you shit-"

"Call you, I know." He sighed, kissing Akashi on the cheek. "I've gotta' go. I'll see you when I get home."

XXXXX

Kuroko barely made it to Maji Burger on time, but he easily made up for it with his quick work. In the five minutes he'd been there, he'd already completed twelve orders. He sighed as he watched everyone quietly eating at their own respective tables, and felt his stomach beg for some food of its own.

Just as he was about to duck into the main kitchen to sneak out a burger, another customer came in, and he put on a smile as the boy walked up to the counter.

"Welcome to Maji Burger, what can I do for you today?"

The boy looked him up and down, a smile on his face. "Well I don't mean to be forward, but I'd love to do _you_ today."

Kuroko bit back a groan, trying to be polite for the sake of his job. "Sorry, I'm not on the menu."

The boy laughed softly, nodding. "I figured as much. Someone as cute as you's probably taken, huh?"

"Actually yes, I am."

He sighed. "Just my luck. Finally find a cute guy, he's already taken. Who is he, school president? Rich CEO's son?"

"Basketball captain."

He nodded. "Ahh, those are the worst for people like me. Everyone wants to date someone with firm arms and leadership skills."

Kuroko smiled, wondering why the guy wasn't already taken himself. He was cute, with his slender, muscular form, tight-ass jeans, and large brown eyes. "And you're trying to tell me you're single, sir?"

The boy laughed. "Oh no, I've got a girl. She's just not good in bed."

Kuroko nodded, a laugh in his throat. "Well, even if I weren't taken, if you had led with that, I'd told you to fuck off."

"Seriously? Man, I thought you'd be fun. Guess that basketball guy's really spoiled you, huh."

Kuroko rolled his eyes. "Well it's hard not to be spoiled by an Akashi," he mumbled, not really for anyone to hear.

The boy's eyes suddenly widened, and he looked like a child terrified of a clown. "A-Akashi? Eh, what's your name?"

He blinked. "Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Shit… Shit, shit, fuck shit…."

Kuroko's brows knitted together. "You know Akashi?"

"Who doesn't know the devil himself? Shit, he's going to kill me…"

"Eh, why would he kill you?"

The boy looked at him incredulously. "The guy almost stabbed me with a pair of scissors because I accidentally grabbed 'his' ball in gym last year! If he's that possessive over something that's not even his- oh man, I'm dead. I'm a dead guy, shit!"

Kuroko rolled his eyes again, shaking his head. "If that's the case, you're still only dead if I tell him."

He paused. "You're.. not going to tell him?"

Kuroko thought for a moment. "Hm, no. So long as you stop trying to hook up with other people whilst you have a girlfriend. Either stop, or break it off with her, because honestly, she probably deserves a hell lot better than you."

The boy nodded vigorously, and Kuroko could see the gratitude in his eyes, gratitude for another day of life. "You're right, you're absolutely right. I'm going to go throw myself at her feet and beg for her forgiveness."

Kuroko watched as he ran out of the store, almost to tears. "… What the hell just happened."

XXXXX

Kuroko came home late that night, closing the door quietly behind him so as to not wake the rest of the household. As he tiptoed up the stairs, he heard the shower running. But over the shower, he heard Akashi, singing. He smiled as he stood beside the door, listening intently to a rather heavenly voice.

Of course Akashi was good at singing. He was good at everything.

Kuroko eventually tore himself away and went on to his bedroom, changing into a pair of basketball shorts and one of Akashi's t-shirts. He loved the way they smelled of the redhead, and Akashi loved the way they looked on him.

Akashi came in a moment later, smiling at the bluenette as he took him in. "You're cute."

Kuroko smiled softly. "I know~ Come here, I'm tired."

"Then why didn't you go to bed when you got here?"

The bluenette looked down to his lap, trying to hide his blush. "I, um.. can't sleep without you, anymore…"

Akashi blinked at him before a large grin spread across his face. He quickly crawled onto the bed, enveloping Kuroko in a tight embrace as he kissed the top of his head. "So cute."

XXXXX

Another two weeks went by, and by now, Akashi had figured he knew everything there was to know about Kuroko. He even knew his triggers, and how to handle situations before they became loud and violent. Truthfully, the redhead was feeling pretty good about himself, and life was calm, peaceful. Until one night, when there was a knock at the door. Akashi had stayed on the sofa, cuddling Nina as Kenchi and Shiiro sat on the floor, whilst Kuroko went to see who it was. But Akashi's mind went blank when he heard the bluenette utter a single word.

"Mother…"


	20. Chapter 20

**Neee, this is it, guys... Honestly, I don't feel I've done you justice with this chapter... But I hope you enjoy anyway. I love you all. *heart***

* * *

In an instant, the children were up and running toward the door, eyes wide and hearts pounding. The lady in the doorway, with her white blonde hair braided behind her back, smiled sweetly at them as she pushed her way through.

"Hello, my lovelies."

Akashi slowly walked into the room, a mixture of emotions overwhelming him as he watched Kuroko in the background, his blue eyes wide with fear. The other children were merely confused, and Nina was already smiling happily as she looked up at her mother.

"Mommy! I knew you'd come back!"

The lady laughed, and it was melodious, and it hurt Akashi's chest. She bent down to pick the little girl up, stroking her matching hair. "Oh, Nina, you're so beautiful."

"I look just like you!"

"Yes, you do, sweetcakes." The lady's eyes shifted, and she finally caught sight of Akashi. "Who is this?"

Akashi mechanically stepped forward, pushing himself into the circle of tension that surrounded this woman, because of the boy behind her. "I'm Akashi Seijuro. Tetsuya's-"

"He's my boyfriend."

The woman paused, her smile frozen as it seemingly turned to cheap plastic before their very eyes. "Oh," she said, "well, I'm *Mei. Their mother."

Akashi nodded. "I gathered that."

She continued to stiffen before his eyes, and he chanced a glance toward Kuroko, only to find him with a blank expression. "Well… If you'll excuse me, I'd like to sit down and, be with my children."

Akashi nodded, moving to the side as she passed by, Shiiro and Kenchi in tow. Kuroko stayed behind, refusing to look the redhead in the eye.

"What the hell, Tetsuya?"

The bluenette flinched at his voice, though it was a hushed tone, but Akashi couldn't feel sympathy for him.

"You lied? About your mother's _death?"_

Kuroko sighed. "It's not what you think-"

"Oh, it isn't? Because it looks like you told everyone that your mother was dead, and now she's here, in this house!"

"Yes, I lied, okay? But I did it for them!"

Akashi stared at him, his brows furrowing. "For them? They don't know? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kuroko moved forward, closing most of the gap between them so he could lower his voice. "You don't know that woman like I do, Seijuro. I had to protect them-"

"Protect them?" he scoffed. "That's what you were doing when you kicked your father out, how does lying to them about their mother have any resemblance? How long have you known anyway?"

Kuroko rolled his eyes, trying to keep his cool so as to not worry the others. "Look, my father comes home one night, drunk off his ass, and grouchily tells me my mother is dead, do you really think I wouldn't look into that myself?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I went and found her before I said anything to the kids. She was married to some rich dude, mooching off of him, whilst we stayed here, living under an abusive household. I lied, to protect them."

Akashi bit his lip, trying not to yell as he shook his head at the bluenette. "What gave you the right to lie to them like that?"

Kuroko scoffed, a bitter smile playing on his lips. " _What gave me the right_? Let me tell you a little more about my mother, Seijuro. When Shiiro was six, she sold him to a crack house so she could get one extra packet of cocaine in her pocket. I was the one that had to go buy him back. When my father found out I'd spent his alcohol money to get our brother back, he beat me for two hours. My mother watched. You weren't here for that.

When Kenchi was nine, she kept him out of school, dressed him up in rags and threw dirt in his face. Then she made him stay outside, all hours of the day, begging people for money. 'It's a game,' she said, 'we're pretending to be homeless.' Kenchi was _actually_ homeless for a month before I could find him. You weren't here for that.

And you weren't here when she threw empty beer bottles at my head until I bled, or when she tried to get me to sell my body for her fucking drug money. You weren't here for any of that, so you don't know the hell we went through with her around. So when she left, abandoned us without even a tiny bit of an excuse, I looked at Nina, and I saw her untainted innocence, and I decided right then that she would never know what it was like. And that, is what gave me the right."

Akashi stared at his boyfriend for a long time, stunned into silence as he looked back at the woman on the sofa, laughing and holding her children close. "Tetsuya… I am so sorry."

The bluenette shook his head, but there were tears threatening to spill over. "Don't apologize to me. Just help me figure out what she wants. She wouldn't have come back if she didn't-"

"Alright, I'm leaving."

Kuroko looked up at his mother, his eyes fixated on the child in her arms. He lifted a finger to point to Nina, "What is she doing?"

Mei laughed. "She's coming with me, silly~"

Akashi could physically see Kuroko's blood pressure rising, and he readied himself in case he had to hold him back.

"Oh no, no she's not going anywhere."

Mei batted her eyelashes at her son, her smile becoming plastic once more. "Tetsuya, baby, this is _my_ house, and Nina is my child, and I can do whatever I-"

Kuroko shook his head. "No. I won't allow it."

Mei sighed, pursing her lips. "Well why don't we let Nina decide?"

She set the girl down and knelt to her level, smiling sweetly at her. "Nina, baby, who do you want to stay with?"

Nina nervously shifted her eyes to Kuroko, who stood in silence, but even for an innocent seven year old, she was smart. She could clearly read the devastation in her brother's eyes, and though she didn't understand why it was there, she knew what she had to do. "I'm going to stay with Tetsuya for now. Maybe you can come home soon, Mommy."

Mei smiled, but it was forced, until a light shone in her eyes, and she nodded. "Yes, maybe I can. Alright, it's late, my lovely. Kiss me goodnight, and I'll see you some day when Tetsuya isn't being a big meany~"

Kuroko rolled his eyes as Nina kissed her mother, running up the stairs and to her room. Mei then turned her eyes to Kuroko, sharp and deadly. "Thanks, shithead."

"Get out of our house."

She smiled, wicked as a witch. "I'll leave, for now. But darling, remember, this is _my_ house."

Kuroko watched her leave before turning back to Akashi, who looked absolutely sick.

"I'm sorry, Seijuro."

He shook his head. "Why didn't you try to stop Nina? How did you know she'd choose you?"

Kuroko sighed, looking down at the floor. "I didn't. But there's one thing I will never do, and that's actively try and turn her against her own mother."

XXXXX

A few days went by, and there had been no sign of Mei. The basketball team's practices were becoming shorter and shorter, as both Akashi and Kuroko were afraid of the children being home alone. Until one day, Akashi made the announcement at lunch.

"No practice until further notice."

Everyone blinked at him, confused to say the least.

"What's going on, Akashi-cchi?"

"I'm not at liberty to say."

Though the redhead didn't mean to, he'd inadvertently caused every single pair of eyes to shift to the bluenette beside him. Only this time, Kuroko didn't care enough to sink into the shadows.

"Family issue," was all he said.

Kise frowned, sharing a worried look with Aomine. The tan man sighed. "Tetsu, we're all friends here. We'd like to help."

Kuroko bit back a groan, knowing that his friends meant well, but they were interrupting his concentration. "If you want to help, you can tell me how I can get legal custody of my siblings and get the house in my name."

There was silence for a long while, before Midorima spoke up questioningly. "Why do you need such things, Kuroko?"

"Family issue."

Kagami rolled his eyes. "If you don't tell us the circumstances, we can't help."

Akashi sighed. "I know the circumstances, and I still can't help."

Kuroko paused for a moment, thinking. "… My father is out of the picture, and my mother has recently come back home with the intention of stealing both my house and my family."

Everyone stared at him in silence, trying to wrap their minds around his words. Kuroko could see the questions filling their heads, and he quickly added, "No questions, I won't answer them."

Kise sighed, looking up to the sky in thought. "You're only seventeen, Kuroko-cchi… And if your mother is there, I doubt there's any way for you to do the things you want…"

Murasakibara stopped chewing long enough to say, "I can crush someone for you."

Midorima sighed and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "He doesn't need brute force. He needs a well thought out plan."

Kagami sighed. "Well if it's a thought out plan you need, I'm out."

Aomine nodded. "The only thing I can think of is bribery."

Another long pause of silence ensued, until Akashi turned to face Kuroko, a newfound glint in his eye.

"I think I know a way."

Kuroko's heart skipped a beat at the mere thought of his wishes coming true. "You do?"

He nodded. "And if your mother is as self-centered and irrational as you made her out to be, it'll work."

XXXXX

That afternoon, Kuroko texted Kenchi to tell him that if Mei showed up, he was to call immediately. Kuroko then joined Akashi in the search around town for his yet again missing mother.

It wasn't terribly long before they found her, sneaking out the back of a rundown warehouse. Kuroko sighed as they approached her, and she put on her fake smile, refusing to even glance at Akashi.

"Tetsuya, baby, what are you doing here?"

"We came to make a deal with you, Mother."

Mei laughed. "Oh how silly, why don't we just do things the way I say we should? I am your mother, after all."

Before Kuroko could speak, Akashi stepped forward, forcing the woman to look directly into his eyes. "At least listen to the deal. I have a feeling you'll like it."

Mei grimaced, her face contorting in disgust. "I don't know what the hell I did wrong. I can't believe my darling Tetsuya has resorted to a _boy's_ touch. And you, of all people. I know you, you're that psycho everyone keeps telling me about. I don't want you anywhere near my baby."

"Perhaps what you did wrong, was abandoning your children, leaving them under the care of their alcoholic, abusive father. And I may be a psycho, but at least I love your son."

Mei rolled her eyes. "Love, what's it good for. What you need is _money_ ~ It's the only thing that makes the world go around."

"Well I have that too."

She blinked. "How much?"

"None of your concern. Can we please discuss what we came here to discuss?"

She thought it over for a moment. "Fine. Make it quick."

"You want the kids, and the house, correct?"

"Duhh."

"So do we. But, if you let us have the kids, we'll give you the house."

Mei scoffed. "What good is the house without the brats?"

Akashi took a deep breath, pushing his anger down as he leveled his gaze with the woman's. "I'll pay you for the house. Double what it's worth. It'll be a reverse sell."

Mei pursed her lips, contemplating. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. Tetsuya gets full custody of all three children, you leave them alone."

"Well, what if I want to see them?"

"You can have prearranged visits, but only in our home, under Tetsuya's or my own supervision."

"….Deal."

XXXXX

After the deal had been made, money had been exchanged, and documents had been filed, Kuroko turned his worried gaze to Akashi. "Seijuro, we don't have a house."

Akashi sighed, a tiny blush appearing on his cheeks. "Well, Tetsuya… I was going to wait until graduation to tell you, but… I bought us an apartment."

Kuroko blinked. "What? But, what about the kids?"

Akashi was relieved that that seemed to be his only concern, and he smiled. "It's for them too. I knew you wouldn't leave them alone like that, and I wouldn't want you to."

Kuroko stared up at him for a long while before wrapping his arms around his neck and kissing him as hard as he could. "I love you."

Akashi's blush deepened, but he planted another small kiss on his boyfriend's lips. "I love you, too."

"…So how big is it?"

The redhead laughed, explaining the place in full detail.

XXXXX

Three months later, Akashi sat at his new family dinner table, a book in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Kuroko smiled as he caught sight of him, walking over and kissing his cheek.

"Morning, Sei, love."

The redhead smiled, lifting his head to give his lover a proper kiss. "Good morning."

"Where are the kids?"

Akashi smirked to himself. "They went to the park."

Kuroko paused. "Sei, what if something happens?"

He turned his crimson eyes to his love, watching as he nervously looked out the window, as if he could see them from here. "Don't worry. I gave them a taser."

Kuroko turned his wide blue eyes to him, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Just kidding. Sheesh. Ryouta and Daiki came to pick them up."

He blinked. "How long have you had this planned?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Kuroko rolled his eyes and pulled Akashi's book from his fingertips, placing it onto the table as he positioned himself in the redhead's lap. "You do know what I'm talking about. My alarm clock didn't go off, though I distinctly remember setting it last night. You had a cup of coffee already made just the way I like it. And the kids are already gone."

Akashi smiled, taking a sip of his drink. "Okay, fine. So I wanted to enjoy the day alone with you. It's our first day officially moved in. There's no chores to do, nothing to unpack. We can just _relax…"_

Kuroko smiled as Akashi nuzzled his head into the crook of his neck, and a small giggle bubbled up from his throat. "Hm, _I guess_ it could be nice."

The redhead smiled at him as he kissed his nose, before Kuroko pulled him in for a long, sweet kiss.

* * *

*Mei – Derived from "Meimu" (roughly translated as Delusion)

 _**** Spoiler? : Mei was a lot nicer to everyone once she'd gotten everything she wanted and her husband put her in rehab for a little while. Being completely clean, she soon became the mother Kuroko always wanted- needed._


End file.
